Where is it Healthy to Build Affordable Housing?

A word from Ean Thomas Tafoya I have spent my career bringing people together to analyze and solve complex issues and I am a true believer in the Denver Inter-neighborhood Cooperation motto that Neighborhoods work best when people work together. This is equally true when it comes to regions. That our region works best when local governments work together. It is my hope that this tool can become a tool for calling out the myth that our housing crisis seems to be unsolvable and that we fulfill our moral obligation to immediately bring stability to the unhoused.

For our study, we defined the following terms:

Buildable Land = All parcels that could be used for housing the unhoused (with varying degrees of current development and/or improvement)

Developable grade = The slope of the land, in degrees. Gentle, easily developable grades are considered to be less than 10%. In Denver, the municipal and zoning codes allow for development on land up to 45 degrees, but general contracting guidelines explain that a 20% slope is considered steep and will require additional excavation and permitting.  -  Denver Zoning Code (2020) 

Micro-Community = sanctioned areas of temporary housing and services for those experiencing homeless. They might include hotels or tiny-home villages.

Parcel = a contiguous area of land, except for intervening easements and rights-of-way  Colorado Revised Statute 30

Transit walkshed = 1/4 to 1/2 mile: “The transit walkshed—the distance people will walk to a transit stop—is not a fixed distance. Though the 1/4-to-1/2-mile transit walkshed is often cited, riders will walk farther in a comfortable walking environment or if doing so reduces trip time, eliminates transfers, or reaches more reliable and rapid service.” Source:  NACTO 

Unhealthy or Hazardous areas = parcels that contain an EPA (environmental protection agency) site, railroad, or highway. Sources:  The effect of residential proximity to brownfields, highways, and heavy traffic on serum metal levels in the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study - ScienceDirect 

Walkable radius = “400 meters (1/4 mile or a 5-minute walk) has sometimes been assumed to be the distance that the average American will walk rather than drive” Source:  Redesigning suburbia for walking and transit: emerging concepts (1994) 

Land Acknowledgement

It is important to recognize that the University of Denver resides on lands that are held in stewardship by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. It is with much gratitude that we recognize the descendant communities of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, the Northern Arapahoe Tribe of Wyoming, and the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and remember that it is through their sacrifices that we are able to engage in learning and collaboration to further the study of higher education. To learn more about DU’s recognition and reconciliation of their involvement in the Sand Creek Massacre, please review the  John Evan’s report. 

As we gather, we honor and acknowledge that the University of Colorado’s four campuses are on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute, Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pueblo and Shoshone Nations. Further, we acknowledge the 48 contemporary tribal nations historically tied to the lands that comprise what is now called Colorado.

Acknowledging that we live in the homelands of Indigenous peoples recognizes the original stewards of these lands and their legacies. With this land acknowledgment, we celebrate the many contributions of Native peoples to the fields of medicine, mathematics, government and military service, arts, literature, engineering and more. We also recognize the sophisticated and intricate knowledge systems Indigenous peoples have developed in relationship to their lands.

We recognize and affirm the ties these nations have to their traditional homelands and the many Indigenous people who thrive in this place, alive and strong. We also acknowledge the painful history of ill treatment and forced removal that has had a profoundly negative impact on Native nations.

We respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land. We honor them and thank the indigenous ancestors of this place. The University of Colorado pledges to provide educational opportunities for Native students, faculty and staff and advance our mission to understand the history and contemporary lives of Native peoples.

Ean's List of Thanks to People and Institutions

I want to thank the University of Denver  IRISE program  for their support of my work through the Community Scholar Program. I want to thank the  GAMLab  at the University of Colorado Denver for helping me turn this dream into reality. 

I want to thank all those that have inspired my knowledge and appreciation of the impact of zoning and planning issues. Gretchen Williams whom staffed the Denver City Council Land Use and & Transportation Committee and always encouraged me to keep learning, to Evelyn Baker who created the Lakewood Zoning & Planning Committee that I completed, Dr. John Prosser, whom spent countless hours helping me make connections from planning decisions to the impacts on people's health, Rocky Piro, former Denver City Planner, who has consistently to plan for a better future and who first told me about Michael Henry, Christine O’Connor, Charles Nadler of Denver Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation, who collaborated with me to educate Denver residents about the impacts of Zoning and Planning. 

To Joel Minor and Rebecca Curry. Environmental Attorneys that have assisted me and my community in working towards environmental justice.

I want to thank Mark Magana and  GreenLatinos  for believing in me and investing time and resources in developing me as an environmental policy global leader.

Thank you to  Denver Homeless Out Loud  for bringing me into the housing movement. 

Thank you to the  Headwaters Protectors  community for fulfilling Human Rights to water and sanitation for those experiencing Homelessness. 

For my ancestors who walk with me on my road.

I want to thank Hilda, my love for always having my back when I take on big ideas.

I want to thank my mother Cindy, a dedicated social worker for always encouraging me to remember where I came from and to apply my knowledge for the betterment of the environment and my community.

We chose to pursue this research using a Buildable Lands model, which provides a methodology for determining parcels of land that are underutilized. Underutilized parcels are generally defined as those that have a current land use that does not match the allowable land use in the associated ordinance. We deemed this method appropriate because:

1. it combines multiple layers of spatial data to tell a more detailed story
2. It compares current condition with future condition

Most Buildable Lands studies are aimed at understanding housing stock and land use underutilization, which is defined as parcels of land that have a greater capacity for development within the current land use code. In other words, a parcel is underutilized if it currently includes a single-family residence but is zoned for multi-family mixed use. The goal of our Buildable Lands study is to determine underutilized parcels, but in terms of healthy housing for the unhoused instead of housing density. The best locations for rapidly housing the unhoused must meet four criteria:

1) They are zoned correctly

Because the rezoning process is costly and can be long and complicated, our study eliminated all parcels zoned as single-family residential, industrial, or open space. Single-family neighborhoods often present rezoning challenges regarding resident support, industrial locations can be hazardous, and open space is not consistently defined. Open space could be a mitigated Brownfield site, an abandoned parking lot, or a grassy meadow.

Parcels must not include highway or railroad infrastructure; they must not sit atop a floodplain or a historic landfill; and they must not contain an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Interest Site. EPA Interest Sites are facilities that are monitored for emissions and toxic releases. They include air polluters, water polluters, and contaminated places such as Superfund and Brownfield sites.

Because many unhoused people may face challenges accessing transportation and may need to utilize specialty services, they should live near places where these services are provided. These services include shelters, mental and/or behavioral health support, public libraries, community centers, and places of worship. Parcels that contain at least one of these services are preferred, although those that are located within ¼-mile are acceptable. Parcels that are located more than 1-mile from any service are excluded.

 The slope of the land does not exceed 15-degrees, which would increase development costs. The parcels are larger than one-half acre and smaller than 10-scres.  Based on research from the State of California , “parcels that are too small may not support the number of units necessary to be competitive and to access scarce funding resources. Parcels that are large may require very large projects, which may lead to an over concentration of affordable housing in one location, or may add cost to a project by requiring a developer to purchase more land than is needed, or render a project ineligible for funding.”

For the purpose of this study, we focused on the seven most populated counties that make up the core of the area served by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG): Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties. 

We believe a regional approach to addressing housing issues is crucial. Housing markets do not adhere to the arbitrary boundaries of individual towns, cities, or counties; they often stretch across wider areas. This means that decisions made in one locality can have ripple effects throughout the region. For example, a lack of affordable housing in one area can lead to increased demand in neighboring areas, driving up prices and exacerbating housing shortages regionally. Additionally, regional strategies can better address the needs of a diverse population, as they take into account the varied economic, social, and environmental contexts across different areas. This holistic view allows for the development of more comprehensive and effective housing policies.

A regional approach also enables more effective collaboration and resource sharing among local governments. This is especially important in tackling complex issues like housing affordability and homelessness, which often require significant investment and coordinated policy responses. By working together, municipalities can pool resources, share best practices, and develop unified strategies that are more likely to attract state and federal funding. Furthermore, regional collaboration can help in balancing development and conservation efforts, ensuring that new housing does not come at the expense of important environmental or cultural resources. Ultimately, a regional approach can lead to more sustainable and equitable housing solutions that benefit the entire community.

We compiled datasets based on other Buildable Lands studies and supplemented our database with additional data necessary for our specific study goals. The following tables show the data we selected and the inclusion justification. We chose to analyze potential sites for housing the unhoused at the parcel level. Although processing time at this large scale is increased, it can provide better and more meaningful data. Alternative scales, such as block or block group, aggregates data and is not appropriate for structural ownership and analysis of this kind.

Scroll through each of the maps to see how, when additional criteria are applied, the availability of potentially buildable parcels changes.

This map shows the parcels that have the potential to house the unhoused. These parcels are healthy, safe, and located close to services. They are an appropriate in size and slope. Please note that, due to daily variability in data, parcel and building tenure is not included in this analysis.

Click on a parcel in the map below to learn more about it:

Based on our analysis, about five percent of land in the seven county Denver Metro region is potentially available to house the unhoused population. However, the timeline of availability varies. Some of the parcels are vacant and may not include utilities or structures, while others have been improved with buildings or parking lots. Current tenure is also unknown. What this study shows, however, are the following key takeaways:

1. There is potentially available land in each of the seven counties.
2. The locations of potentially available parcels are spatially distributed around the metropolitan area.
3. The largest number of parcels were eliminated due to land use and zoning compatibility, highlighting this as the largest obstacle in micro-community development.

1. connect parcel IDs and addresses to available parcel dataset
2. determine the actual availability of parcels in terms of tenure, ownership, and/or level of development
3. eliminate parcels with an incompatible shape for micro-community development

Proposed Micro-Community sites in Denver.

Please explore this tool, read through the methodology, and complete the survey to share your feedback and ask questions.