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NEWS RELEASE
BOULDER COUNTY HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
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The Boulder County Housing Authority’s plans for creating a new neighborhood of affordable homes in Lafayette are advancing to include the selection of a design and construction team and opportunities for additional community input for the 24-acre site. Once completed, Willoughby Corner will feature 400 affordable rental and for-sale homes at the intersection of 120th and Emma Streets. Affordable apartments, townhomes and duplexes will be available to families and individuals who qualify.
“We are excited to move things forward for this important new neighborhood of affordable homes in east Lafayette,” said Norrie Boyd, Executive Director of the Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA). “The Willoughby Corner site includes a variety of architectural styles to meet the needs of singles, families, and seniors. The design is squarely focused on sustainability, including solar photovoltaics and electric vehicle charging stations, a network of community gardens, pedestrian and bike trails, and access to transit. The below-market-rate rental and for-sale options at Willoughby Corner will provide the community with affordable living in Lafayette, where the median home price is well over $600 thousand and climbing.”
BCHA has hired Colorado Springs-based design firm HB&A to complete the architectural design for Willoughby Corner, joining master planning and landscape architecture firm Norris Design and civil engineer Drexel-Barrell. HB&A has previously provided architectural design for BCHA’s Josephine Commons and Aspinwall neighborhoods of affordable homes, developed in 2011 and 2013 and also located in the city of Lafayette. Pinkard Construction was recently retained for preconstruction services and brings expertise in cost estimating and constructing affordable housing. These firms were selected through extensive request for proposals processes and BCHA is honored to have such talented design and construction partners for this multi-year project. The team is currently pursuing entitlements with the City of Lafayette Planning Commission and City Council. Upcoming opportunities for the public to hear updates, engage with the team, and provide feedback on Willoughby Corner plans include two neighborhood meetings, one on December 15 and another on January 13. Details will be listed at www.WilloughbyCorner.org. BCHA expects to complete the Willoughby Corner design process by summer 2022 and receive permitting later in the year to begin construction in 2023.
“We’re particularly grateful to the members of the East Lafayette Advisory Committee for their support,” said Marcus Pachner, president of The Pachner Company, a community engagement firm helping lead the feedback and outreach processes for the new development. “This dedicated group of neighbors and others is helping ensure this new neighborhood of affordable homes serves the whole community by supporting those in need, honoring the character of the surrounding neighborhoods and nearby natural landscape, and providing Lafayette residents with amenities like enhanced connectivity to regional bike paths and multi-use trails.”
Willoughby Corner represents the foresight of the City of Lafayette and Boulder County Commissioners, who signed an intergovernmental agreement to jointly purchase the industrial-zoned property specifically for the creation of affordable housing. This collaboration is helping meet the increasing need for affordable housing and advancing the strategies in the Boulder County Regional Housing Plan, which seeks to ensure 12 percent of all homes are permanently affordable across the county by 2035. Every jurisdiction in Boulder County has adopted a resolution of support for the Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership’s 12 percent affordability goal and its strategies to achieve it.
“The City of Lafayette and Boulder County continue to be leaders across the region in terms of working together on the creation of affordable housing,” said Karen Roney, Director of the City of Longmont’s Community Services Department and a Regional Housing Partnership steering committee member. “The Partnership is excited to see this big step forward toward helping so many of our neighbors find decent, stable, and affordable homes to live in. Willoughby Corner is going to be a beautiful addition to the Lafayette and east Boulder County community.”
The Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS), the umbrella organization for BCHA, connects community members with a wide range of supports, including rental and utility assistance, eviction prevention services, landlord assistance, and much more. Since its inception in 2020, BCDHHS’ Housing Helpline (www.BOCORentAssistance.org) has overseen the distribution of over $6 million in crucial pandemic-related rental assistance across the community. Willoughby Corner is part of BCHA’s ongoing effort to permanently increase the supply of affordable homes across the county.
Anyone interested in learning more about Willoughby Corner can visit www.WilloughbyCorner.org and sign up for the interest list.
About the Boulder County Housing Authority: Since 1975, BCHA’s mission has been to foster the availability of quality affordable housing and related housing services for the residents of Boulder County. BCHA’s Development Division contributes to this mission by preserving existing affordable housing and creating new neighborhoods of affordable homes across Boulder County with a focus on sustainability and community. See www.BoulderCountyHousing.org for additional information.
About HB&A Architects: HB&A is a women-owned small business specializing in architecture and planning for local, federal, and military clients in Boulder County, across Colorado, and around the world. HB&A’s core disciplines of architecture, planning, and geospatial technology combine to offer services throughout all project phases and scales.
About Boulder County Housing and Human Services: The Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS) is a 500-person integrated services organization that focuses on connecting individuals and multiple generations of families with a full spectrum of supports. Over an average 12 months during typical times, BCDHHS connects more than 90,000 people with a wide range of wrap-around services, including food, housing, health coverage, childcare, safety, education and skill building, parenting supports, and much more. Visit www.BoulderCountyHHS.org and follow Boulder County Housing and Human Services via social media (www.Facebook.com/BCDHHS and www.Twitter.com/bouldercohhs) to learn more about BCDHHS’ prevention-based wrap-around community supports and services.
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