Colorado is in the throes of a staggering — and growing — housing affordability crisis.
Every year, the Centennial State welcomes thousands of new residents, and the cost of housing continues to increase year after year. According to a recent analysis, Coloradans currently have to earn $27.50/hour to afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent and not spend more than 30% of their total income, but the state’s minimum wage is set at $12.32 an hour.
In Westminster alone, some areas have seen housing prices rise by as much as 60% in the last five years, which is pricing many of our neighbors out of the community and forcing them to live farther away. To address this burgeoning catastrophe, Uplands is creating a welcoming and inclusive neighborhood that accommodates different income levels, economic circumstances and life stages by building the missing middle housing the Westminster community desperately lacks.
Missing middle housing is defined as a range of multifamily or clustered housing types that are compatible in scale with single-family or transitional neighborhoods. The “missing middle” describes housing types that were once common in the U.S. but are now less common and, therefore, “missing.” A transformative concept highlighting the need for diverse, affordable housing options in sustainable, walkable neighborhoods, missing middle housing is a range of house-scale buildings with multiple units. The varying types of housing — from detached and attached single-family homes to condos, townhomes and apartments — provide diverse housing choices and seamlessly fit into residential neighborhoods, supporting walkability, local retail and public transportation options.
At Uplands, we recognize the necessity of housing affordability, and we’re bringing over 300 units of dedicated affordable and senior housing into the marketplace at a time when it’s most needed. Additionally, we’re constructing single-family detached cottages that will provide needed workforce units for those making 80% to 120% of the area median income.
Built with affordability, mobility and climate resilience in mind, Uplands tackles the critical housing challenge in a way that addresses the mismatch between Colorado’s available housing stock and shifting demographics due to our state’s skyrocketing population to create more affordable housing options.