Denver9/28_Blake Pendergrass

Transit oriented development and affordable Housing
Blake Pendergrass
FRESC (Denver, Co)

Background on RTD’s FasTracks
Multi-Billion Dollar comprehensive transit expansion
122 miles of new rail
Sales-tax funded, voter approved

RTD Wide Advocacy (FRESC and Enterprise)
Strengthened Agency Language on Affordable Housing vis-à-vis Transit Oriented Development
Briefed/Built relationship with Board members
Drafted TOD Affordable Housing Policy passed by RTD Board
Sets process for RTD and municipality to evaluate, set goals and develop affordable housing at 0-50% AMI

TOD Site Specific Organizing and Advocacy
Large Tax Increment Finance Projects
Cherokee Gates Redevelopment
Denver Union Station
Coalition Model addresses community benefits, including affordable housing

La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood
270 Public Housing units (Denver Housing Authority)adjacent to existing light rail stop
Denver owned 2.5 acres vacant land parcel; DHA envisioned Hope VI-style mixed income redevelopment their 15 acres
City initiated visioning planning process for what redevelopment could look like

Partnered with CBO’s, local funders
Approach included organizing as well as agency level advocacy
Organizing: Canvassing, community meetings
Resident’s identified Community Benefits Principles
Signature gathering, talking with decision-makers
Helped translate planning and development to community members
Resident speaking to Councilwoman Montero

Outcome: Piloted a new planning process geared towards socio-economic issues/lower-income/public housing residents
Outcome: Identified and codified community vision which served as Housing Authority’s starting point for Master Planning Process

Housing Specific Outcomes
Commitment 1:1 Replacement of Public Housing Units
Use of phasing as a way to reduce displacement
Community and Supportive Services
Ongoing process of engagement and monitoring

Lessons Learned and Challenges
Always tough for people to engage in long planning processes, particularly younger people/families
Planning fatigue (often various, concurrent planning processes)
Need for institutionalized policy that ensures impacted communities have space to shape outcomes and address socio-economic issues
Community needs to be involved Inside/Outside official processes
Ongoing engagement

Denver9/28_Blake Pendergrass

by National Housing Conference & the Center for Housing Policy on Sep 29, 2010

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Denver9/28_Blake Pendergrass — Presentation Transcript