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Denver: Join Us in Voting Yes on 2O
By Heather Lafferty and Stefka Fanchi This April 4th, if Denver voters say vote yes on Ballot Measure 2O, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver and Elevation
03 Apr, 2023
Opportunities for rental and for-sale homes, including hundreds of affordable homes.
Opportunities for 100 acres of parks and trails.
Opportunities to bring economic growth and support generational wealth in a historic neighborhood.
Last month, we shared how Habitat Metro Denver is involved in the proposed redevelopment plan for Park Hill Golf Course, and why we support ballot measure 2O. Now, as we prepare for the election on April 4, we’re sharing several reasons to join us in voting “yes.”
Denver voters: Look for your ballot in your mailbox starting today, March 13, and remember to return your ballot by April 4 at 7 pm!
A yes vote on Ballot Measure 2O would lift a conservation easement in place on the Park Hill Golf Course property and turn 55 acres of the land into more than 2,500 new homes, 25% of which will be permanently affordable. These affordable units will be accessible for teachers, nurses, seniors, families, and other essential members of our community.
Park Hill is uniquely positioned in close proximity to downtown Denver, hospitals and medical campuses, schools, and other major employers. By adding homes in the area, more of Denver’s workforce will have the opportunity to live affordably near their workplace. This also means these workers will have shorter commutes or be able to use public transit, which will help reduce emissions and pollution.
Passing ballot measure 2O would also create 100 acres of public parks, open space, and trails, plus a new grocery store in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood — an area of Denver that is considered a food desert. The homes in this area will be right next to this store and park space, providing air quality benefits, healthy food, and recreation opportunities to these residents.
The redevelopment plan includes affordable and attainable housing for every income level. The broad spectrum of housing planned for the site is a great thing – it means that fewer families will be displaced from the Park Hill neighborhood, and the area will remain a diverse, growing community.
At Habitat, we are committed to providing affordable homeownership opportunities, and this project will allow us to build 300 affordable for-sale homes. The plan also includes affordable rental and affordable senior housing. This is a rare opportunity to provide a much-needed continuum of housing in a central part of Denver.
The City of Denver has negotiated a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement between the site’s owner – Westside Development Partners – and the community. This means that the plans for affordable housing on this land – (plus parks, open space and infrastructure improvements) must be maintained, even if the property is sold in whole or in part. This safeguards these important improvements, and ensures that the developers will commit to doing what is promised.
As it sits today, with the conservation easement in place, no one can use the land at the former Park Hill Golf Course. Community members have expressed a desire for the property to be used in a way that better serves their needs – requesting a large regional park, a grocery store, more affordable housing, and community-serving businesses. None of this is allowed while the easement is in place.
If we vote no on ballot measure 2O, the owner of the land will determine if it is reverted back into a golf course.
If we vote yes on ballot measure 2O, open space, homes and community-serving businesses can come into the neighborhood sooner, responding to what residents have requested for the area.
The need for affordable housing in Denver has reached a point of crisis – and ballot measure 2O will ensure homes can be developed for families at various price points. A yes vote on ballot measure 2O also means that 100 acres of brand-new public parks and open space can be used by everyone in the community.
With a “yes” vote on ballot measure 2O, we can address the short- and long-term crises our city faces with both our affordable housing shortage and green space.
We hope you’ll join us in voting yes and starting a new chapter for Park Hill.
Here’s what you’ll see on your ballot
Denver voters will see the following language on their ballot in April: “Shall the voters of the City and County of Denver authorize the release of the City-owned conservation easement on privately owned property known as the Park Hill Golf Course, which requires the land to be used primarily for golf-related purposes, and allow for commercial and residential development, including affordable housing, and public regional park, trail and open space?”
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