Willoughby Corner

Lafayette Housing

Lafayette residents have chosen a name for their newest affordable workforce housing neighborhood: Willoughby Corner. Thanks to all who participated in this process!

The Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) has submitted to the City of Lafayette our illustrative plan for Willoughby Corner, a new east Lafayette neighborhood of diverse homes for families, seniors, our workforce, and others who are struggling with the high cost of housing in our community. The plan, which is based on community input and the goals and mission of the Boulder County Housing Authority, can be viewed here.

BCHA held an open-house-style neighborhood meeting on the Willoughby Corner community of affordable homes on March 6, 2019. The meeting included a brief presentation on the project as well as stations on the site plan, transportation and traffic, and affordable housing. City of Lafayette Planning staff were also present at the meeting.

An online public comment period on the Willoughby Corner illustrative plan closed on February 8, 2019.

Additional meetings will be held about Willoughby Corner, including as we proceed through consideration processes with the City of Lafayette.

Sign up here if you’re interested in living in this new community in east Lafayette. Please note: this is not an application, nor does it put you on a wait list for these homes. Additional steps would need to be taken once the homes are complete and ready for move-in. We will contact everyone on this list as that time approaches.

Sign up here if you only want information updates about this new community in east Lafayette (and would not be interested in living in it).

Willoughby Corner: Expanding Housing Options for Families and Individuals, Elders, and our Workforce

Early character sketch by Coburn Architects of a design option for the neighborhood of affordable workforce housing

Amid skyrocketing housing prices across our county and along the Front Range, Boulder County is planning to create a neighborhood of diverse housing options that will help the City of Lafayette and the broader region reach important goals for addressing the lack of housing affordability in the years ahead, and that will serve generations of families and individuals, elders, and our workforce.

The planned housing site is a 24-acre parcel located just southwest of the intersection of 120th Street and East Emma Street in Lafayette. Boulder County and the City of Lafayette purchased the property for $3.5 million from Flatirons Community Church, a strong supporter of affordable housing. An intergovernmental agreement is in place between the City of Lafayette and Boulder County dedicating the land for the creation of deed-restricted, permanently-below-market-rate homes, to include both rental and ownership options.

The land parcel sits in an ideal location for housing that will be dedicated to working families and individuals, community elders, and others who need safe, stable, and quality homes they can afford. It is near important services and the Lafayette town center, and the area is considered a priority by the Boulder County Transportation Department for the enhancement of multi-modal transportation options.

The City of Lafayette’s Affordable Housing Development Fee is supporting this planned affordable workforce housing. The fee, which went into effect in January 2016, collects 30 cents per square foot on all new residential development to help fund permanently-affordable housing.

The Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) is the official housing authority for all areas of the county beyond the city limits of Longmont and Boulder, including Lafayette. A significant portion of BCHA’s mission is to sustainably maximize access to and maintain quality affordable housing and appropriate services for residents of Boulder County, including middle-, low-, and very-low-income community members. We accomplish this mission through community collaboration, integrated services and programs, professional organization, effective management, and the pursuit and expansion of funding sources and land and building acquisition.

Intergovernmental Agreement

Intergovernmental Agreement

In June 2017, the City of Lafayette and Boulder County (and by extension, Boulder County Housing Authority) entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) around this planned neighborhood of affordable workforce housing that helps demonstrate expectations and guide performance around the development. The IGA calls for 80% of all homes built on the property to be deed-restricted for rents and purchase prices that are well-below-market rate for residents. Of these, 20% should be for-sale and 80% should be rental (Section 9a/b/c). The rental homes are stipulated to serve people earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. And at least 10% of the rental homes must be set aside for people age 55 and older.

The IGA also stipulates that (in perpetuity) the land can only be used for affordable housing (Section 20a).

This IGA highlights past successes for the two entities in partnering to create affordable housing for families, seniors, disabled individuals, and others, but also acknowledges that “others still struggle to attain safe, decent, affordable housing in Lafayette” (Recital A/B).

Importantly, the IGA defines “affordable housing” as “housing for which the total cost of monthly rent payments, or the total cost of monthly payment of principal, interest, taxes, insurance including private mortgage insurance, and homeowner association dues, does not exceed the specified percentage of the Area Median Income and which is intended not to require payment of more than 30% of the gross monthly household income…” (Section 2).

These are the benefits of the planned neighborhood of affordable workforce housing listed in the IGA:

  • People living in the new housing are likely to shop within Lafayette and increase the city’s sales tax base.
  • People living in the housing will likely generate additional and new revenue to the City of Lafayette.
  • The agreement is consistent with the city’s past and present policies on economic development and affordable housing initiatives.
  • The agreement serves to provide benefit and advance the public interest and welfare of the city and county and residents and businesses within both.

The final plan for this housing in east Lafayette will be developed largely through guidance from this IGA; input received from a range of neighbors, community members, and other stakeholders; and the mission of the Boulder County Housing Authority to maximize access to affordable housing for a range of community members in need.

A second IGA was developed between Boulder County and the Boulder County Housing Authority which passes on all the requirements of the first agreement to BCHA.

Early character sketch by Coburn Architects of a design option for the neighborhood of affordable workforce housing

Community Outreach

Community Outreach

Design Workshop

An initial design workshop was held on August 29th for the planned East Lafayette community of affordable workforce housing. Interested community members participated by sharing design ideas and preferences with other community stakeholders and the project team. Attendees made recommendations for the layout of the planned community, including housing types and locations, parks and trail amenities, and other infrastructure.

Approximately 40 to 50 community members attended the open house. Participants learned about the project and shared their views on the opportunities and challenges presented by the site. The attendees then broke into nine small groups for an interactive land use exercise with a map of the site, building blocks, and construction paper so they could design the community.

After analyzing the community-designed plans, common themes emerged, including (but not limited to):

  • providing a connection from Canterbury (by Peak to Peak) to 120th,
  • providing a buffer along 120th and Emma,
  • striving for lower intensity of uses along Emma St,
  • prioritizing higher intensity of uses along the industrial edge, and
  • encouraging multi-modal connections.

Here is a presentation of the design suggestions developed by workshop participants. Please take the time to see the ideas area neighbors and other stakeholders came up with to plan for the new neighborhood.

The staff of the Boulder County Housing Authority are committed to engaging with neighbors and others with an interest in this community of affordable homes in a productive conversation around how to meet the community’s broader needs for diverse housing, environmental sustainability, transportation, infrastructure, and more.

To gain a full understanding of both the surrounding neighborhoods and Lafayette more broadly, we have spent the past several months immersed in the community, getting to know the land, the neighbors, and active community members in the area. This has helped shape and prioritize community outreach and engagement opportunities, including neighborhood planning, open space and trail connections, roadway connectivity, and mobility issues.

With this understanding of the community, we developed a Public Engagement Plan (PEP) that includes Community Wide Engagement through open houses, community presentations, and the formation of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) – a community group of area residents and stakeholders who will help advise us in implementing this engagement plan in the most inclusive and effective way, and who will engage with us in shared learning about the issues and interests behind the planned community of affordable workforce housing.

Advisory Committee

East Lafayette Advisory Committee

The purpose of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) is to engage in shared learning about the issues and interests behind the planned community of affordable homes, as well as understanding the needs of and impacts to the immediate and broader communities. Boulder County Housing Authority staff and team members are fully committed to taking all advisory opinions and recommendations into consideration. While not bound to honor all recommendations from the group, BCHA staff will review them and give due consideration and discussion. Additional community meetings will be held in 2018 to begin envisioning the design of the property and how best to ensure it integrates into the surrounding neighborhoods.

See the East Lafayette Advisory Committee Membership and Charter PDFs for additional information.

Latest Updates – ELAC

The fifth ELAC meeting was held on Monday, January 6th at 6 p.m. at the Community Room at Aspinwall at Josephine Commons, 771 Excelsior Place, Lafayette. During this meeting, a proposed illustrative plan for the development was presented. The results and analysis of a traffic study of the area related to the proposal and its potential impacts were also shared. Here is the agenda for the meeting as well as the packet of materials that was reviewed and discussed by ELAC members. Minutes from the meeting will be posted soon.

The fourth ELAC meeting was held on Monday, December 10th. Here is the agenda for the meeting, which included a re-cap of the recent “pre-application” meeting with City of Lafayette staff, a discussion around density, and a detailed look at the sketch plan process and timeline for the planned neighborhood of affordable workforce homes. Here is the presentation that was given, and here are the density comparables that were shared with the committee. Minutes from the meeting will be posted once approved by ELAC members.

The second meeting of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) was held on Monday, September 17th, in the Community Room at Aspinwall @ Josephine Commons, 771 Excelsior Place in Lafayette. Here is the agenda and here are the minutes from that meeting. In this meeting, ELAC members reviewed the outcomes from the Design Workshop Open House and provided additional feedback for consideration for the planning of the site. Most of the discussion was on the Design Workshop Open House planning outcomes that will guide the planning moving forward.

The BCHA planning team carefully reviewed the design suggestions from the Design Workshop Open House and ELAC members, and created three DRAFT site plans for community review. These plans reflected input received from neighbors and other area stakeholders combined with the mission of BCHA to increase the availability of affordable housing in our communities and the requirements of the intergovernmental agreement between BCHA and the City of Lafayette. We presented these draft site plans at the third ELAC meeting on October 22nd (see the agenda for the meeting, and here are the minutes). We had also shared the draft site plans electronically with all ELAC members via email to allow one week to review the plans before the October ELAC meeting.

At the October 22nd meeting, the BCHA team also provided a presentation on the recent transportation/traffic study that was conducted near the planned housing site, and shared the latest information on transportation improvements planned for the area as well as other potential improvements that could result from the presence of the new neighborhood. Here is a PDF of the presentation that was given.

The first meeting of the ELAC was held on Wednesday, Aug. 15th. Here are the agenda and minutes from that introductory meeting.

The next steps in the Public Engagement Plan’s Community Planning and Design Engagement phase include additional community meetings focused on refined plans resulting from the current design process (including additional opportunities to discuss mobility and transportation issues), and a naming contest for the new neighborhood of affordable workforce housing.

Concurrent with this outreach are ongoing presentations to community groups as well as backyard meetings and coffees with interested neighbors or groups who want to learn more about the planned housing and provide feedback. We are presenting and listening to neighborhood associations and business groups throughout the area. We welcome the opportunity to share our story and hear how we can make this affordable workforce housing community a model for both design and engagement.

Engagement, Design, and Planning Timeline

See the East Lafayette Affordable Workforce Housing Timeline PDF for more information about what will be happening and when.

The site for the future East Lafayette affordable workforce housing community is currently vacant. Through an inclusive planning process, the new development will take shape. Once the form and shape of the site is drawn, then appropriate zoning will be determined and we will seek approval from the City of Lafayette. At present, we anticipate construction at the site could begin in 2020, with first move-ins possible the following year.

Please let us know how we can help you get involved in the planned affordable workforce housing community, including if you want us to meet with you or your organization.

To facilitate community feedback on the initial plans, we have created multiple ways to communicate with our project team and community ELAC members:

    • You can email the ELAC Board and the BCHA Project Team at ELACboard@gmail.com. Every email sent to this account will be shared with all the members of the ELAC as well as the relevant BCHA representatives. This email is set up to provide open communication with fellow Lafayette community members and volunteers serving on the ELAC.
    • Each ELAC meeting has dedicated time for public Q&A; see the information above for details about the next meeting.
    • BCHA’s Outreach team is available if you would like to share your feedback via the phone, by calling 303-825-1671.
    • If needed, materials can be translated into a language of your preference.
    • For more information, or if you have general questions or comments, email us at jcwilliams@bouldercounty.org.

BCHA continues to coordinate various community meetings with our ELAC community representatives. Meetings are being held in conjunction with Old Town, Arbordale Acres, Peak to Peak School and other Lafayette ELAC groups. We are also planning a walk along Emma Street with neighbors and the BCHA Team, details will be posted on the website and shared once a date is finalized.

Sign up here if you’re interested in living in this new community in east Lafayette. Please note: this is not an application, nor does it put you on a wait list for these homes. Additional steps would need to be taken once the homes are complete and ready for move-in. We will contact everyone on this list as that time approaches.

Sign up here if you only want information updates about this new community in east Lafayette (and would not be interested in living in it).

Project Documents

The Boulder County Housing Authority is committed to transparency and an inclusive public process. Project related documents, boards and materials are available below.

East Lafayette Affordable Housing Community Snapshot

BCHA put together a brief overview of the proposed community, the need for affordable housing in Lafayette, information on our community outreach approach and planning process.

East Lafayette Housing Community Meetings – June 25 and 28, 2018

BCHA and our community engagement firm, The Pachner Company, hosted two community open houses on June 25 and 28, 2018 to introduce ourselves, provide an overview of the planned community and to help determine how we can best engage the public, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the broader community. The open houses featured several stations that attendees could visit related to various aspects of the planned community of affordable workforce homes. The following were the community meeting presentation boards.

2019 Community meeting presentation boards

The following boards (to be posted soon) were used at a February 12, 2019 Old Town Neighborhood meeting at Peak to Peak Charter School.

  • Affordable Housing and the Need
  • Community Engagement
  • ELAC Concept Options
  • Willoughby Illustrative Sketch Plan
  • Transportation Impacts
  • Transportation Levels of Service
  • Emma-Canterbury Roundabout

2018 Community meeting presentation boards

East Lafayette Advisory Committee

The first meeting of the ELAC was held on Wednesday, Aug. 15th. Here are the agenda and minutes from that introductory meeting.

The second meeting of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee (ELAC) was held on Monday, September 17th, in the Community Room at Aspinwall @ Josephine Commons, 771 Excelsior Place in Lafayette. Here is the meeting agenda (minutes are here). In this meeting, ELAC members reviewed the outcomes from the Design Workshop Open House and provided additional feedback for consideration for the planning of the site. Most of the discussion was on the Design Workshop Open House planning outcomes that will guide the planning moving forward.

The BCHA planning team carefully reviewed the design suggestions from the Design Workshop Open House and ELAC members, and created three DRAFT site plans for community review. These plans reflected input received from neighbors and other area stakeholders combined with the mission of BCHA to increase the availability of affordable housing in our communities and the requirements of the intergovernmental agreement between BCHA and the City of Lafayette. We presented these draft site plans at the third ELAC meeting on October 22nd (see the agenda for the meeting, and here are the minutes). We had also shared the draft site plans electronically with all ELAC members via email to allow one week to review the plans before the October ELAC meeting.

At the October 22nd meeting, the BCHA team also provided a presentation on the recent transportation/traffic study that was conducted near the planned housing site, and shared the latest information on transportation improvements planned for the area as well as other potential improvements that could result from the presence of the new neighborhood. Here is a PDF of the presentation that was given.

The fourth ELAC meeting was held on Monday, December 10th. Here is the agenda for the meeting, which included a re-cap of the recent “pre-application” meeting with City of Lafayette staff, a discussion around density, and a detailed look at the sketch plan process and timeline for the planned neighborhood of affordable workforce homes. Here is the presentation that was given, and here are the density comparables that were shared with the committee. Minutes from the meeting will be posted once ELAC members have approved them.

The fifth ELAC meeting was held on Monday, January 6th at 6 p.m. at the Community Room at Aspinwall at Josephine Commons, 771 Excelsior Place, Lafayette. During this meeting, a proposed illustrative plan for the development was presented. The results and analysis of a traffic study of the area related to the proposal and its potential impacts were also shared. Here is the agenda for the meeting as well as the packet of materials that was reviewed and discussed by ELAC members. Minutes from the meeting will be posted soon.

Design Workshops/Open Houses

An initial design workshop took place on Saturday, August 25th for the planned East Lafayette community of affordable workforce housing. Anyone with an interest in this new community was invited to participate by sharing design ideas and preferences with neighbors, other community stakeholders, and the project team. Attendees were able to make recommendations for the layout of the planned community, including housing types and locations, parks and trail amenities, and other infrastructure. Here are the flyers (in English or Spanish) created by our engagement firm, The Pachner Company, who co-led this design workshop.

Here is a presentation of the design suggestions that were developed by workshop participants. Please take the time to see the ideas area neighbors and other stakeholders came up with to help plan for the new neighborhood.

Intergovernmental Agreements

Two intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) are in place between the City of Lafayette, Boulder County, and the Boulder County Housing Authority. Along with input received from neighbors, area residents, and other stakeholders as well as BCHA’s mission to maximize the availability of affordable housing in our communities, these IGAs will help guide the final designs and plans for the neighborhood of affordable workforce homes.

Intergovernmental Agreement – City of Lafayette and Boulder County

Intergovernmental Agreement – Boulder County and Boulder County Housing Authority (extends requirements of the above IGA to include BCHA)

Frequently Asked Question?

The answers in this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section have been compiled by the Boulder County Housing Authority. The answers represent the best information we have at this time.

Housing

Is there a need for a more diverse and affordable stock of housing in Lafayette?

Yes! The need is extensively documented. Over 40,000 people in Boulder County live in households spending more than half their income on rent every month and in Lafayette rents have increased 44% in the last 7 years. Wages are not coming close to keeping up with the skyrocketing cost of housing across Boulder County and in Lafayette. This creates incredible stress on many of our neighbors. We have a responsibility to help people remain in the communities they love, where their children go to school, and where they work and have family.

Will the homes be for rent or for sale?

We anticipate that there will be a mix of rental and for-sale homes affordable to families and individuals, elders, and members of our workforce as part of the community. While the final mix of homes will be determined through the planning and financing process, the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Boulder County and the City of Lafayette specifies that of the total amount of homes on the property, approximately 80% will be for rent and 20% will be for sale.

Will this be permanently affordable? How do we guarantee that?

The IGA between the City of Lafayette and Boulder County specifies that all affordable units will remain affordable in perpetuity.

Who will own and manage the homes once they are completed?

BCHA has a full property management and maintenance team responsible for the day-to-day operations of its housing. BCHA also provides maintenance services for its properties. Maintenance staff conducts regular inspections, attend to work orders, and are available for emergencies 24/7.

Will this be Section 8 housing?

There are two types of “Section 8 housing.” The first is where federal funds are used to build and subsidize operations of an affordable housing building. The affordable housing community in East Lafayette will not be traditional federally subsidized housing.

The second type of Section 8 is also known as “Housing Choice Vouchers.” This is a HUD program that enables a household to pay 30% of their income on rent, and HUD provides a subsidy for the remainder. Housing Choice Vouchers can be used wherever there is a willing landlord and a unit that meets the HUD requirements (reasonable rent, and a Housing Quality Standards inspection). The new community of affordable housing will accept Housing Choice Vouchers.

Housing Choice Vouchers are a powerful tool to assist very-­‐low-­‐income households and create income diversity in a neighborhood. However, the resource is extremely scarce: wait list times are often 5-­‐10 years.

We anticipate that a small percentage of residents who will live in this affordable housing project may qualify for income-­‐based federal housing assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher program. This housing does not depend upon HUD or the Housing Choice Voucher for funding.

Will the housing be apartments or houses? How tall will the buildings be?

The proposed housing will include a mix of building types. This may include duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and apartments. The final building types will be determined through the planning process with extensive opportunity for input from the community.

What’s it going to look like?

Architecture and design will be developed throughout our inclusive planning process.

Through a variety of community outreach events we will gain input on design elements and incorporate these into our site planning and building design. We also anticipate integrating community amenities such as a pocket park space, community gathering spaces, and trail connectivity.

How many cars per home will there be after the project is completed?

At other BCHA properties we typically see around 1 car per household. As part of the traffic and transportation studies, BCHA will be conducting car counts at Aspinwall, Josephine Commons and Kestrel in order to provide exact data on comparable sites. This will be in addition to the traffic studies conducted as part of the site planning process.

Development Construction

What is the timeline for the project?

The design, approval, and financing of affordable housing is a multi-step process that can be difficult to predict. Based on the current project status, the fastest that the project could proceed is outlined below:

  • Site planning and City entitlements: 2018 & 2019
  • Apply for affordable housing funding: 2020
  • Begin construction on first affordable homes: 2021
  • Complete first affordable homes: 2022/2023

How will the developer and general contractor mitigate construction impacts for people living near the site? How will construction traffic and workers access the site?

BCHA will work closely with City of Lafayette and the adjoining neighbors to create safe, low impact access to the site. The general contractor, once one is selected, will be required to create a detailed and specific construction access plan, and will ensure that all subcontractors and materials providers adhere to that plan. Other ways to minimize impacts include setting limits on work hours, setting specific limited construction access routes, putting restrictions on where employees and subcontractors can park, and having a water truck on site to minimize dust. A perimeter fence will also be constructed around the entire project site to isolate the dangers of an active constructive site from the general public. All of these approaches have been utilized on previous projects.

All efforts will be made to limit the impacts of construction, especially to neighbors along Flagg Drive and Emma Street.

Will any local Lafayette subcontractors get an opportunity to work on the affordable housing community?

Yes. The willingness and ability to recruit local subcontractors will be one of the selection criteria used to screen the general contractor.

Community Socio-Economic Impacts

Are there economic benefits to the City as a whole from having a more diverse and affordable mix of housing on this site?

Housing diversity contributes to economic activity associated with households spending their disposable income on items such as food, clothing, transportation, and health care. The degree to which these impacts remain in the local economy depends on the services and goods available within that particular region.

Community revitalization, expanding home ownership, and the effective delivery of health care and other services are all enhanced by public investment in stable affordable housing.

From the standpoint of a healthy lifestyle, when housing is made more affordable, then the income that is saved can be used to meet other basic needs; for example, the purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods.

Research has demonstrated that inclusion of more diverse and affordable housing for families and individuals, elders, and members of the workforce in communities increases spending and employment in the local economy, and reduces the risks of foreclosures and the instability in the economy when employers have difficulty attracting and retaining workers.

How will the proposed housing impact school enrollment? Do we need to be concerned about overcrowding?

We anticipate that the neighborhood will be made up of a diverse mix of families, seniors, singles and couples without children. BCHA will work with Boulder Valley School District to ensure that adequate capacity is available to serve the projected number of students as part of the planning process.

Traffic, Access, and Utilities

How much traffic will the site generate?

A thorough traffic study will be completed as part of the site planning process. The study will take into account current traffic patterns, future growth in Lafayette, as well as traffic generated by the project.

This study will create a projection of the traffic generated by the proposed units, the capacity for the local roads to serve these trips, and the impacts to Level of Service (LOS) associated with the development. Any traffic improvements required by the proposed units, including signals, stop signs, acceleration/deceleration lanes, turn lanes, etc. would be included in the development costs and paid for by the developer and/or the City of Lafayette.

How will a new community impact the intersection at 120th St and Emma St?

Traffic will be an integral part of our plan and future submittal. BCHA will work with the County, City of Lafayette and CDOT on traffic solutions to the intersection at 120th and Emma. We are very aware of the safety concerns and will take this into consideration as we draw plans for the housing community.

Future Residents

Who will be eligible to live in the housing? What is the screening process for new residents?

Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) will manage the eligibility for the rental housing. Applicants will be required to provide income documentation, as well as pass both criminal and sex offender background checks.

The IGA between the City of Lafayette and BCHA calls for 80% of all homes built on the property to be deed-restricted for rents and purchase prices that are well-below-market rate for residents. Of these, 20% should be for-sale and 80% should be rental (Section 9a/b/c). The rental homes are stipulated to serve people earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. And at least 10% of the rental homes must be set aside for people age 55 and older.

We anticipate a blend of families, individuals, elders, and workforce members will live in this diverse mix of homes at Willoughby Corner.

Will Housing Choice Vouchers be accepted?

Yes. For more information on Housing Choice Vouchers:

What are the income levels for the new occupants in the community?

2018 Income Limits, Boulder County, Colorado

Area Median Income 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5 Person 6 Person
120% $91,320 $104,280 $117,360 $130,320 $140,760 $151,200
60% $45,660 $52,140 $58,680 $65,160 $70,380 $75,600
30% $22,830 $26,070 $29,340 $32,580 $35,190 37,800

The potential monthly rent for a 1 bedroom unit at 60% AMI is $1,222 (including $161 in utilities), for a two-bedroom $1,467 (including$191 in utilities) and for a three-bedroom is $1,694 (including $221 in utilities).

These numbers are current as of 2018 and are updated annually by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

What will the rents and mortgage payments be? Would my income qualify?

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes an annual income and rent table that BCHA will use to manage income eligibility. HUD uses Area Median Income (AMI) to determine maximum incomes, and calculates rent plus utilities to be no more than 30% of a household’s income.

The complete AMI charts for Colorado, including Boulder County, are available at: https://www.chfainfo.com/arh/asset/Documents/2018_income_limits.pdf

The potential monthly rent for a 1 bedroom unit at 60% AMI is $1,222 (including $161 in utilities), for a two-bedroom $1,467 (including$191 in utilities) and for a three-bedroom is $1,694 (including $221 in utilities).

Project Team and Financing

Why is Boulder County Housing Authority qualified to lead the planning, financing, construction, and ongoing management of the proposed housing in Lafayette?

The Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) is the official housing authority for all areas of the county beyond the city limits of Longmont and Boulder, including Lafayette. BCHA was formed to serve the unmet housing needs of Boulder County residents in 1975. BCHA owns and manages 809 affordable units across Boulder County, including 257 homes in Lafayette. BCHA is committed to owning and managing our properties in perpetuity.

In the intergovernmental agreement, it’s noted that “Lafayette believes that BCHA has demonstrated its capabilities in the development, operation, maintenance, and management of affordable housing in the municipalities of Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland, and throughout unincorporated Boulder County,” and that “[Lafayette and BCHA] have worked together successfully for many years to create and preserve a diverse array of high quality affordable housing options in Lafayette.”

What other projects of this scale has BCHA completed?

BCHA has competed projects of similar over the past six years: Josephine Commons (senior housing) and Aspinwall (middle-­‐ and low-­‐income affordable rental housing) and Kestrel in Louisville (senior and affordable rental housing). These communities have many amenities including a commercial kitchen with a senior meals program, a common house with a community center and classroom space, communal green space, playgrounds, community gardens, and connections to open space and trails. These communities were completed on time and on budget.

Who owns the land now?

Boulder County, Boulder County Housing Authority and the City of Lafayette jointly purchased the property in July 2017, with BCHA retaining title to the property.

An intergovernmental agreement is in place between the City of Lafayette and Boulder County dedicating the land for the creation of deed-restricted, permanently-below-market-rate homes, to include both rental and ownership options.

Open Space and Parks

How will this new community connect to the trail system?

BCHA is committed to ensuring that the new community has exceptional trail access and connections to Lafayette. The site’s proximity to the future Inspire trail as well as the existing Burlington trail provides an excellent opportunity to enhance and support Lafayette’s trail system. Trail connectivity is a vital component of our planning process.

Will there be open space or a community park?

The new community will likely include community open space and amenities in addition to community gardens. While the plan is not drawn yet, these have all been features in our planned communities.

Community Outreach and Engagement

What is the East Lafayette Advisory Committee?

The East Lafayette Advisory Committee is a community group of citizens and others who are advising Boulder County Housing Authority staff in implementing an inclusive and effective community engagement plan and ensuring the creation of affordable homes at East Emma and 120th streets is a true community enhancement. Advisory in nature, the ELAC meets regularly and provides honest constructive feedback to BCHA and their partners.

How can we stay informed on the project?

  • Sign up here if you only want information updates about this new community in east Lafayette (and would not be interested in living in it).
  • Attend our community meetings and updates
  • Check in frequently on Nextdoor and any other social media accounts where we post updates.

Who should we contact for neighborhood meetings and updates?

You can always visit this website (www.lafayettehousing.org) or email jcwilliams@bouldercounty.org

You can also submit your questions to us via email at jcwilliams@bouldercounty.org.

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