Housing
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 the 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.
At Willoughby Corner, the rental apartments will be serviced by maintenance and operations. Repairs and maintenance of owner occupied homes will be the responsibility of the homeowner.
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: waitlist 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 house? 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.
How many cars per home will there be after the project is completed?
At other BCHA properties we typically see less than 1 car per household. BCHA at Aspinwall, Josephine Commons and Kestrel in order to provide exact data on comparable sites. Please see study here: