Affordable Housing Violations in Denver Prompt Updates to Compliance Programs

A review by Denver’s Office of Economic Development finds that roughly 300 of the city's 1,302 designated affordable housing units are violating at least one city covenant rule.

Eric Hiraga, economic development director in Denver, wants to be proactive with the situation. “Our hope is to have empathy for those who had no idea they were buying an affordable home and come to the best resolution that we can," he says. "But at the same time, we don’t want to lose preservation of our affordable housing stock." The Denver Post reports that Hiraga is restructuring his office, moving more employees into housing compliance, and is working with the city's attorney to create a nontraditional program for the homes in violation, providing "ample time [for individuals] to bring their property into compliance.”

There are several potential violations. Some homeowners have listed their residences on home-sharing sites such as Airbnb. In other cases, homes reserved for sale to people earning a set percentage of the city’s median income have been purchased by companies. And then there are people who bought affordable homes but didn’t qualify under the income rules. The people living in those 300 homes can expect to receive a letter from the city detailing potential violations by early next week, if it hasn’t come already.

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