Mental Health Center of Denver has broken ground on a new housing project aimed at reducing homelessness in Denver.
Modeled after successful permanent supportive housing projects in other U.S. cities,
Sanderson Apartments will house 60 of Denver's chronically homeless, which will further the city's efforts to provide housing for 250 of the most vulnerable residents.
"We are committed to finding solutions to homelessness because we know when people are in their own homes and feel safe, they are better able to access other social services to improve their well-being," says Dr. Carl Clark, president and CEO of the Mental Health Center of Denver.
Located at 1601 S. Federal Blvd., Sanderson Apartments will be the largest supportive housing project for Mental Health. The three-story, 50,000-square-foot building will include 60 one-bedroom, furnished apartments with on-site staff and amenities. The project is expected to be completed next summer.
The Mental Health Center of Denver is a nonprofit community mental health center that has been delivering comprehensive and accessible mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing, education and employment services for more than 25 years.
The project is being financed through the Social Impact Bond program launched in February and $600,000 in financing through the Denver Office of Economic Development.
Sanderson Apartments is the latest project to break ground under Mayor Michael Hancock's "3x5 challenge," which calls for the development, renovation or preservation of 3,000 affordable housing units over five years. To date, the city and the real estate development community have produced 1,714 units under the challenge, with nearly 1,200 additional units under construction or scheduled for development.
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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