Blog
40 Years of impact: 40 facts about Habitat Metro Denver and housing
- Habitat Metro Denver was founded in 1979.The population of metro Denver in 1979 was 492,365 and the average price for a single-family home was $66,051, with today’s inflation this comes to $196,816.
- In 1980, we completed our first home. It took a total investment of $40,000 to buy the land and complete renovations on the 4-bedroom, 1,141 square foot home.
- In 1981 Denver saw its highest mortgage interest rate at 18.45%. Affordability dropped to an all-time low and the mortgage rates priced most Americans out of the market. It took years for home sales to rebound.
- In 1985 we made our first investment in Habitat homes internationally. Global sponsorship is part of our local mission, and we have invested more than $3 million to support Habitat’s global work to date.
- In 1988, we hired our first full-time staff member, a construction supervisor.
- Former President Jimmy Carter made his first visit to Habitat in Denver in 1988, when he attended a home dedication ceremony.
- During the Colorado Rockies 1993 inaugural season, over 900 Habitat Metro Denver volunteers worked the concessions of the first 52 games.
- In 1993, we completed our first all women-built home. Now Women Builds are an annual tradition we have continued to this day.
- During our second Summer Blitz Build in 1994, 4,000 volunteers built four homes in Thornton over the course of one month.
- We built our 100th home in 1997, the homeowners still live there to this day.
- It took us 18 years to serve our 100th family, and today we’re serving nearly 200 families each year.
- After the Columbine shooting tragedy in 1999, we partnered with Chevrolet to build the John Tomlin Memorial house. In addition to sponsoring the home, Chevrolet restored Johns old Chevy truck for his father.
- 2001, we were awarded the ENERGY STAR New Millennium Builder Award for Most Energy Efficient Home in Colorado.
- We opened our first Habitat ReStore in 2004, today we now have four Restore Home Improvement Outlets across the metro Denver area.
- In 2004 we were recognized as National Habitat for Humanity Affiliate of the Year.
- Partnering with National Renewable Energy Lab, we built our first net-zero energy home in 2004.
- In 2006 we partnered with 15 local homebuilders for our first Home Builders Blitz to build 15 homes in one week.
- In 2006 we cut the ribbon in celebration and opened the Wheat Ridge ReStore.
- We built our first transit-oriented development in 2010, near Colorado Boulevard and I-25.
- In 2012 we launched the Neighborhood Revitalization Program which includes home repairs in Denver’s historic Globeville neighborhood.
- Former President Jimmy Carter came to Denver to host the 2013 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project where 2,000 local volunteers joined together to build and repair 26 homes in one week.
- Among the many celebrities who have helped Habitat build: Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Tom Brokaw, Rachel McAdams, Cher, Jet Li, Bob Hope, Kurt Warner, Katie Couric and the Denver Broncos.
- Our Littleton ReStore opened in 2014 and became the third location in metro Denver.
- Every week our Habitat ReStores recycle 90 tons of material that would otherwise end up in waste stream.
- Our Aurora ReStore opened in 2015 and the grand opening included special guests like the Aurora Mayor and Broncos Cheerleaders.
- In 2016, Sheridan Square became the largest Habitat development in Colorado with 63 affordable homes.
- Our Highlands Ranch ReStore opened in 2016 and became the first of our stores to partner with a Goodwill to share material donations from the community.
- A 2016 Habitat Homeowner survey showed improvements in educational outcomes, financial stability, health, and quality of life for families living in Habitat Metro Denver homes. Including:
- 98% of children who live in Habitat Denver homes will graduate high school. Colorado’s average graduation rate is 79%.
- 70% of Habitat homeowners feel that they are doing better financially now than they were in the past.
- 93% of Habitat homeowners are as proud or more proud of their neighborhood now that they’re homeowners.
- An estimated $1,500,000 in public assistance funding was saved in 2016 because Habitat homeowners no longer needed it.
- In 2018, we celebrated our 200th home repair project!
- Partnering with Colorado Visiting Nurses Association, we launched the CAPABLE Program in 2018, enabling older adults to live independently and safely in their own homes.
- Colorado is the 7th fastest growing state in the U.S as of 2018.
- Partnering with West Denver Renaissance Collaborative (WDRC) and Green Mountain High School’s Geometry in Construction students, we are building our first accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The ADU Pilot Program provides qualified homeowners development, design, financial, and construction resources to develop an ADU.
- During the 2019 Collegiate Challenge over 80 students from across the country spent their spring breaks volunteering with Habitat Denver on construction sites and inside ReStores.
- Heather Lafferty, Habitat Denver’s CEO was named 2019’s Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women.
- In 2019, we reached the important milestone of serving our 1,000th local family.
- We want to make our next 40 years as amazing as our first 40 years! Your financial support, time, and voice will help more future homeowners build or improve a safe and decent place where they can call home