In 2023, ULC celebrated its 20th anniversary in a heartwarming event at Mosaic Community Campus. Thank you for helping us celebrate in such a special place – already a bustling hub of education, job training and retail. Stay tuned for affordable apartments from Archway Communities opening at Mosaic in 2024!
2023 Snapshot
Affordable real estate. For Good.
In 2023, the Denver metro area needed affordable real estate more than ever. Urban Land Conservancy is a small real estate nonprofit with a big heart for our communities. Here are a few ways we made an impact last year.
Innovative Real Estate Solutions
60 permanently affordable rental homes coming to Commerce City
ULC has secured the development of 60 affordable apartments adjacent to transit at South Platte Crossing in Commerce City through an agreement with Nesbitt Development and Brinshore Development. Now under construction, this property is the 14th in ULC’s community land trust.
Innovative Real Estate Solutions
The Irving on West Colfax comes into focus
ULC received a Prop 123 award of $1 million, as well as city and state funds, that will help fund our construction of The Irving, 100% affordable apartments. As the developer, we aim to move quickly to help meet our city’s urgent housing need. Watch for this all-electric, clean-energy design to come out of the ground at Colfax and Irving!
Innovative Real Estate Solutions
ULC supports RMC & House1000
ULC financing helped support Rocky Mountain Communities’ purchase of a former hotel at 4040 Quebec to house more than 200 people in support of the City and County of Denver’s House1000 initiative. ULC used MDIF, its own innovative financing source.
Innovative Real Estate Solutions
More House1000 support with Embassy Suites
Denver City Council approved buying the former Embassy Suites at 7525 E. Hampden Ave., taking over a contract between ULC and the seller. ULC’s contracting and due diligence gave the city time to get ready to own the 200-room hotel, where it will shelter unhoused families with children.
Community & Partners
New space for Elyria-Swansea health clinic
Tepeyac Community Health Center opened its doors at a ULC site that also includes permanently affordable apartments and local retail spaces by Columbia Ventures. ULC holds the entire site in its community land trust to help keep rents down, and to keep uses mission-minded. Watch this space for new, affordable senior living from Columbia Ventures.
Community & Partners
Commún is home at Loretto Heights
Southwest Denver nonprofit Commún bought Machebeuf Hall from ULC to turn it into a new community center. ULC holds the property in its community land trust to ensure 99 years of affordability and community-serving uses.
Leadership & Advocacy
Prop 123 advocacy goes on
ULC was a strong advocate for Prop 123, and pushed for its effective implementation in 2023. The ULC team was featured in a Colorado Sun story, urging local governments to opt in.
Leadership & Advocacy
Servant leadership, thought leadership
ULC facilitated NCRC’s 2023 Just Economy regional summit in Northeast Park Hill, sharing best practices and lessons learned from our acquisition and activation of the nearby Mosaic Community Campus (pictured at right).
Sustainability
Solar power in Sun Valley
Through a $215,000 grant from the City and County of Denver, ULC and GRID Alternatives installed a 64 kW solar array and electric vehicle infrastructure at ULC’s Social Enterprise Foundry in Sun Valley. Nonprofit tenants Mile High Youth Corps, BlueStar Recyclers and Energy Resource Center now enjoy annual energy cost savings of more than $12,000, as well as the ability to begin electrifying their vehicle fleets.
Org Strength / Our People
New board chair, new strategic plan
We welcomed as our board chair Dawn Bookhardt, an attorney with Butler Snow. Dawn (pictured with ULC CEO Aaron Miripol) has a lifetime of experience in public finance law, real estate law and much more, and has given untold hours of service to her community. With leadership from Dawn and the entire board, ULC is on a path to execute its ambitious 2023-2025 strategic plan.
