The Denver City Council will examine a proposal that would impose a moratorium on mobile home parks as a way to preserve affordable housing, and they'll listen to the public regarding the creation of an urban redevelopment area (URA) in the 2700 block of Larimer Street in Five Points. If approved, the redevelopment would be paid through tax increment financing (TIF).
The agenda can be viewed online.
Mobile home park moratorium
A mobile or manufactured home can be a cost effective way for someone to own their residence, even if they do not own the land it is built on. In Denver, where median home prices in October were $660,000 according to the Colorado Association of Realtors, the affordability of a mobile homes make them very compelling.
Current listings for mobile homes show sales prices drastically lower than single family homes, with a $90,000 median across three listings on realtor.com. Yet, these residents are particularly vulnerable since they don't own the land on which their home rests.
Council is considering the moratorium as a way of prohibiting development of these parks until rezoning can be considered, preventing residents from being displaced.
That prohibition would apply to all five of Denver's existing mobile home parks, and restricts expansion. Adding to the issue is the question of zoning: All five of Denver's mobile home parks are zoned differently. The proposed moratorium will give city leaders time to address that and draft legislation to protect a large source of affordable housing.
Public weighs in on URA
Also on the council's agenda is a public hearing for a proposed urban redevelopment plan on 27th and Larimer. The properties in question are owned by national real estate corporation EDENS who want to redevelop existing structures to mixed use residential.
This involves a number of steps. An urban redevelopment area must be created andaA sales and property tax increment area, which will finance part of the development through potential tax increase differences, must be imposed.
The plan presented by EDENS sees a major reconstruction in the block. EDENS will focus on bringing affordable housing, small and minority owned businesses and underground parking to the area as part of the reconstruction.
EDENS plan is not without opposition. District 9 councilwoman Candi CdeBaca opposes the use of tax increment financing. On Thursday, she told the Denver Gazette she would rather see a more equitable redistribution of revenue to finance this redevelopment. She expressed a preference towards community-based developers, but recognized the slim numbers of those businesses makes that challenging.
The building EDENS wants to demolish is currently occupied by the Volunteers of America of Colorado (VOAC). Tim Kiler, the area representative of EDENS told city council he has worked collaboratively with VOAC to find them a new location for the commissary in Commerce City.
The VOAC Headquarters will remain in the area, and the relocation of the commissary will benefit VOAC overall, according to Kiler.
Also planned today, council will also consider approving annual operating costs for several maintenance districts in the city and adjusting pay codes for various city workers.
Those who wish to sign up to speak at any public hearing held by the Denver City Council must to do so between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. the day of the hearing. Written testimony may also be submitted to @denvergov.org no later than 3 p.m. the day of the hearing.
