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The project would include six permanently affordable homes that are each estimated to cost less than $420,000.
BOULDER, Colo. — The impact of the 2013 floods on the Front Range are still felt in places. In Boulder County, a family’s well was destroyed in the flooding. They asked the City of Boulder to annex their land and make them a part of the city so they can get city water.
The city said that could happen if Boulder could have affordable housing built on some of the land.
“You don’t find this kind of place very often anywhere,” said Joe Kent. The Kent family has been on this property since 1963. They never wanted to give up the five acres even when living here got hard after the flood in 2013.
“With the flood, the well, the ground water changed and the well was not as good so it has been a challenge with the well,” he said.
Kent found a way to fix the problem — ask for the property to be annexed into Boulder so they can connect to city water. But Boulder asked for something in return.
Next to his house, the city wanted to build 15 new homes. Six of them would be permanently affordable. The idea was approved by city council on Thursday night.
“The city requires some sort of community benefit in order to annex a property,” said Chandler Van Schaack, the principal planner for Boulder. “It’s a unique situation in that the city has the ability to negotiate these terms and basically require an actual mixed income neighborhood.”
A developer, Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, agreed to build the community. The six permanently affordable units are each estimated to cost less than $420,000. Those homes will be deed-restricted, which means they don’t appreciate in value.
“I think a council member last night said it is like finding a unicorn,” said Van Schaack.
This idea wasn’t how the Kent family thought this would end, but they’re excited to see progress after years of waiting.
“Absolutely worth it,” Kent said.
The family plans to demolish the existing home and build a new home on the property.
In addition to the six permanently affordable middle-income homes, there would be three “market rate attainable” homes and six would be market rate single-family detached homes with detached additional dwelling units.
More reporting by Kelly Reinke:
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