By Tess McShane, Director of Housing & Childcare
“Affordable Housing is where essential jobs and workers go to sleep”
In August, the Arvada Chamber hosted its first Housing Tour at AVi at Olde Town in partnership with Foothills Regional Housing as an educational opportunities for local business leaders and community leaders to learn more about workforce housing solutions in and out of the region. At AVi at Olde Town, Foothills Regional Housing is seeking to create vibrant, stable communities in areas of opportunity via bold and strategic initiatives, and to provide families and individuals with housing options driven by compassion and respect throughout Jefferson County. Foothills Regional Housing currently manages 22 properties with 1,285 units across Jefferson County, three of which are located in Arvada.
AVi at Olde Town, located just South of Olde Town Arvada, hosts 100 units serving those between 30% – 70% of the Area Median Income (AMI). In partnership with CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin County, 30 units are reserved for foster youth aging out of the foster care system, and 10 units are reserved for unhoused veterans. The median rent in Arvada is $1,980 according to Zumper, with the average 1-bedroom rental costing $1,628. According to Foothills Regional Housing, a household making less than $6,353 per month would be considered cost burdened (spending more than 30% of their income on housing). The income needed to afford to live in Arvada has increased by $1,398 per month, as compared to the income needed in 2021 ($4,955 per month). Most Arvada workers earn an estimated $3,56 monthly/$37,987 annually – $5,437 monthly/$65,251 annually according to ZipRecruiter.
As outlined below, affordable housing benefits a broader range of the workforce than many might expect. Affordable housing exists for those earning 70% AMI or less, enabling them to rent homes without becoming cost-burdened.
Who qualifies for affordable housing?
- Teachers
- Retail workers
- Entry level nurses
- Bus drivers
- Utility workers
- Food, beverage, and hospitality
- Carpenters
- Judicial law clerks
- Dental assistants
- Paramedics
- Childcare workers
The tour offered local business and community leaders opportunities for local business and community leaders to connect, learn more about affordable housing as a workforce housing solution, and learn about the work of Foothills Regional Housing. Foothills Regional Housing shared on the need for affordable housing, who affordable housing serves, the process for developing affordable housing units. Attendees were able to ask questions, tour the property and view a two-bedroom unit.
Foothills Regional Housing also shared information based on the Bell Policy Center’s “Dispelling Common Myths About Affordable Housing”, including:
Myth: Affordable housing lowers surrounding property and economic values.
Fact: Most studies show that affordable housing either increases or has no impact on surrounding property values. In fact, the economic benefits can extend to higher tax revenues and consumer sales.
Myth: Affordable housing disrupts community character and cohesion.
Fact: Affordable housing helps keep community members in their neighborhoods, promoting social cohesion. Many affordable housing residents are existing workers within the community.
Myth: Affordable housing looks cheap and damages neighborhood aesthetics.
Fact: Affordable housing is not built with cheaper materials or lower standards. It is made affordable through public or private funding that subsidizes its development. These projects are often held to higher design and construction standards than market-rate developments.
Myth: Affordable housing increases crime and public safety issues.
Fact: While there may be an initial increase in police presence after new housing is built, long-term studies show that both violent crime and property crime decrease, as do rates of domestic violence.
According to the Bell Policy Center, Jefferson County has a deficit of 20,000 attainable housing units across income levels and affordability. This means that especially for those earning 60% – 120% AMI, there is a shortage of affordable and attainable housing for the workforce. Affordable Housing partners, like Foothills Regional Housing, are key resources in providing affordable and attainable housing solutions for regional workers. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for workforce housing, and continued education and tours like this will help illuminate the diverse options available for attainable, income-aligned housing for the region’s workforce.
If you are interested in being a part of the B.O.L.D. 2026 Housing Network, please sign up here. As a part of the network, you will receive updates on events, resources, and programs in the Housing initiative, receive communications about progress and updates from the initiative, and receive exclusive invitations for upcoming events. Join to learn about future housing tours and events!
If you are interested in how you can use your voice in local and regional advocacy efforts, the B.O.L.D. 2026 Housing Initiative has a Housing Advocates Program that offers information on how the housing challenge impacts businesses, information on advocacy and testifying, and a template for creating your housing testimony. If you are interested in learning more or being trained as a Housing Advocate, please complete this form.
0 Comments