Feb 27 2013
Everyone needs a dignified place to live and call home. Shelter is a basic human need, so non-profit HomeAid Colorado has connected Colorado's homebuilders with care providers to help make sure every Coloradoan has access to dignified housing.
The team of HomeAid Colorado, Berkeley Homes and Volunteers of America (VOA) has completed the third and final home in a project at 1275, 1285 and 1295 Clermont St. designed to house as many as five homeless female veterans and their children.
HomeAid began working with the VOA nearly four years ago. The VOA owned several lots and decades-old homes on Clermont St. where they provided low-income housing. With an increase in need to house women veterans, the older homes couldn't accommodate the needs of the women it was trying to help. The VOA needed to replace the homes, and that's where HomeAid came in. As a non-profit that works closely with Colorado's homebuilders, HomeAid understands the sometimes-complicated world of land development and homebuilding.
HomeAid connected the VOA with three professional Denver-area homebuilders. Three competitive homebuilding companies (Berkeley Homes, New Town Builders, and Wonderland Homes) joined together to create a neighborhood of homes that not only meets the needs of the VOA and female veterans, but also considers the surrounding neighborhood and homeowners. The homes are modern and new, but great care was taken to make sure they blended into the neighborhood and complemented or increased surrounding home values.
Each homebuilding company led construction on each of the three homes, guiding skilled laborers who most often donated their time. Many subcontractors also donated supplies and materials. As much as fifty percent of each home was donated, equaling a monetary donation upwards of $800,000 for all three homes.
A real estate analysis of the homes and the surrounding neighborhood in fact found that the value of the New Town home and the Wonderland home is $500,000 each, based on square footage. The Berkeley home is valued at $600,000. In the end, the VOA now has an asset worth more than $1.6 million.
Dedication Event Details:
To dedicate the Berkeley Homes' home, HomeAid is hosting an event and tour beginning at 2 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 28, at 1295 Clermont St. Denver Mayor Hancock and several other dignitaries will speak and offer more insight into the project and the women it helps. All three homes will be open for tours, but two of the three homes already have residents living in them. New residents will move into the Berkeley home at the beginning of March.