Help us continue to provide safe and affordable housing to our local families!
We don't operate alone in this mission. The work we do and continue to do is the result of our volunteers, our partner families and those in the community that continue to show their unwavering support.
Dear Friends,
We started the Flatirons Habitat for Humanity nearly 30 years ago because there was not an organization in the area that was focusing on affordable home ownership. For many, owning a home is crucial for building wealth. A chance at home ownership does not just offer stability and a pathway to build equity, but for some it can also help break the cycle of poverty.
Many lower income households have not had the chance to build equity and homeownership is a large factor when considering generational wealth. This issue does not just impact those on the bottom of the economic ladder.
Our service area has one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. The area was even pretty expensive back when we were getting Flatirons Habitat started all those years ago. Over time, the price of an average home has continued to climb.
For many, it can be a struggle to even get into the housing market. That is where we come in. We don’t believe in giving people a handout. Instead, we give them a hand up. We work with our families to make sure they have a chance at homeownership and are able to afford it long term.
Every home we build is purchased by that homeowner at an affordable rate. Each family is required to complete at least 225 hours of "sweat equity”. That can be done a number of ways. It includes volunteering, helping build their home, helping build homes for others, and taking homeownership courses that teaches financial literacy and gives the knowledge needed to succeed.
But we don’t operate alone in this mission to provide safe and affordable housing for our neighbors. The work we do and continue to do is the result of our volunteers, our partner families and those in the community that continue to show their unwavering support.
Without you, we wouldn’t be able to build homes, help families, take on larger projects that are crucial in the fight to combat the affordable housing crisis impacting our community. As we like to say “Habitat volunteers are the driving force behind our mission to provide safe, decent and affordable housing.” That also applies to our donors.
“With Habitat, you are working with someone to get them into a stable house and something that they own. That makes such a huge difference for them. But it also makes a huge difference for their families. If they are coming from generational poverty, that helps break that cycle of poverty,” said Kathleen O’Leary, who helped get Flatirons affiliated with Habitat for Humanity.
O'Leary also served on our board before becoming the Executive Director of the Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity. She said that with Habitat you can see the transformation in real-time and how stable housing affects our local families.
The money we raise goes straight back into the community as we continue to grow every year and our projects get larger. We always strive to be able to help more families. We have undertaken larger projects to do so.
That includes our Palo project. In total, 44 affordable homes were built in the community as a result. Of that number, 35 are rental units, which are managed by Boulder Housing Partners. Flatirons Habitat facilitated the sale of the remaining nine units, or three triplexes, that were built specifically for home ownership.
Our Discovery project in Broomfield is also very close to being started after many years of pre-development work. We are currently raising the gap funding needed. The goal is to build at least nine Habitat homes as part of an envisioned community located on the eastern half of a parcel owned by the Discovery Church, which owns a total of 18 acres in Broomfield.
We have also started building the first triplex of the Ponderosa Community Stabilization Project this year and aim to complete those three units by 2023. The Ponderosa Mobile Home Park is owned by the City of Boulder and along with Flatirons Habitat aims to minimize displacement, preserve long-term affordability, replace outdated infrastructure, reduce flood risk to the community and introduce new energy-efficient affordable housing options. We are working together to build more than 60 homes at Ponderosa over the next 10 years.
This project will also feature a home known as the Canopy House built by a team of students from the University of Colorado Boulder as part of the international Solar Decathlon. The collegiate competition by the U.S. Department of Energy aims to encourage students to design and build high-performance, low-carbon buildings that mitigate climate change and improve quality of life through greater affordability, resilience, and energy efficiency, according to the department's website.
The home itself will include a garage and 700 square feet of living space situated on top. Once finished, the community will be able to tour the home and learn more about the construction and sustainable building practices.
The Canopy House, which is expected to be completed in March, is the latest in our efforts to make our homes more energy efficient.
Building more energy efficient homes has been a focus of our affiliate for the past 15 years. By doing this, it saves our homeowners money in the long term. When we talk about affordable housing, it is important to note that it does not mean just the cost to buy a house. It also refers to the expenses needed to live in and maintain a home.
We are also working with the City of Boulder and the Boulder Valley School District to construct a factory that would produce modular homes. Those units could then be delivered to build sites. This project would help minimize the construction burden for existing residents at certain building sites and offer learning opportunities for local students.
By building big, we’re building our community. We believe that safe and stable housing transforms lives, promotes dignity and enhances self-esteem. We invite you to continue to build with us by donating today.
Interested in volunteering with us? Do you want to make a difference in our community? Then click here to learn more!
Want to make a donation that goes towards building more safe and affordable housing in our community? Click here to learn more about donating to Flatirons Habitat!
You can schedule your donation for Colorado Gives Day here!
What is Colorado Gives Day? Why is it important? Click here to find out more!
