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Tim Knittle poses for a photo at Valor on the Fax in June. Knittle is one of dozens of new residents who moved into Valor on the Fax this year.

When Tim Knittle moved from El Paso, Texas to Colorado, he thought he would have a stable housing situation at his brother’s apartment. But after living there for three months, Knittle’s brother kicked him out, informing him that the apartment complex originally only allowed him to stay for two weeks.

In a new state with nowhere to go, Knittle suddenly found himself homeless in the Englewood area.

“When I was on the streets, it was different. I felt like giving up, but I never did anything bad when I was on the streets — I just did what I had to do to get by,” said Knittle. “I was still getting resources and making sure I was clean. I told people that it doesn’t matter what position I’m in, I won’t let myself be dirty or go without food. I always made sure I was good, and I never stole.”

Knittle believes that the respect you give to someone and the kindness you show always comes back around — no matter what position you’re in. Those are the principles he’s lived by throughout his life, and they were validated when he got a life-changing call on Nov. 29, 2022.

On that day, Knittle found out he was accepted to live at Valor on the Fax — Brothers Redevelopment’s newest affordable housing community at 7900 E. Colfax. So earlier this year, he packed his belongings and moved into one of the state-of-the-art apartments at Valor.

“When I first moved into here, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It has definitely made a change in my life,” said Knittle. “I feel me being here, it makes me feel like I’m actually loved by people. I can be myself and not have to worry about anything like getting judged or getting told that I’m this or that.”

Knittle is one of dozens of residents who are settling into Valor on the Fax. The 72-unit community, conceived in partnership with Brothers and nonprofit Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado, is home to people who experienced homelessness and/or have acquired brain injury or related disability. Valor on the Fax was formally opened in May when Brothers, our partners/staff, community leaders, and some community tenants joined together for a ribbon cutting.

As tenants have settled in, they’ve been welcomed with comprehensive services from the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado, like resource navigation, job training, and recreational and wellness activities. And at the building’s first-floor commercial space, Brothers is providing housing services to residents of the surrounding East Colfax neighborhood.

Outside of supportive services, Valor on the Fax residents have access to a rooftop patio overlooking East Colfax, a modern community room, a laundry room, and more. The building’s interior features are designed to alleviate symptoms of brain injury while the exterior of the complex pays homage to Colfax’s history with bright colors to blend into the neighborhood.

“The way I see it, I know some of the people that live here that used to be on the streets, and I would run into them. I have helped them out before, and I really see that (Valor on the Fax) made a change for their life,” said Knittle. “Because almost every single person I see coming here is always smiling.”

 


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There was a feeling of joy and excitement on May 17 as Brothers Redevelopment’s dedicated team, community leaders and valued partners/supporters gathered to celebrate the opening of Brothers’ new community, Valor on the Fax.

Nearly every major TV news station in the Denver metro area, and other news entities like Westword and Denverite, swarmed the rooftop patio of Valor to document one of the most significant events in Brothers’ 52-year history. It was at that patio where Brothers President Jeff Martinez, Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado CEO Kate Kerkmans, Denver City Councilmember Amanda Sawyer, and others spoke with pride about Valor on the Fax — Brothers’ newest affordable housing community that will house people with acquired brain injury and related disability.

“At Brothers Redevelopment, we believe that everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home, and this community is a testament to that commitment. Our goal is to provide a nurturing environment where residents can thrive and create a meaningful life,” said Martinez. “We are excited to see the positive impact that Valor on the Fax will have on the lives of its residents and the broader community as a whole.”

After the speeches, attendees went to the front of the building where Martinez and others finally cut the ribbon on the new, 72-unit community. The ribbon cutting had been nearly five years in the making and marked the official opening of Brothers’ 19th affordable housing community in Colorado.

“From the moment we walked onto what was once a dirty, dilapidated, potholed lot here, I think we saw…what would be possible if we see this vision through,” said Martinez at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The visionary community, located at 7900 E. Colfax Ave. was the result of a collaboration between Brothers and the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado. During the planning process for Valor on the Fax, the two agencies heavily relied on public comment to conceive the building’s exterior features. On the inside, Valor on the Fax provides a therapeutic and comfortable environment to residents with “trauma-informed design” features such as soft lighting, sound-blocking windows, and natural lighting in group areas.

As tenants settle in, they will be welcomed by Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado staff who will provide comprehensive services to residents of Valor like resource navigation, job training, and recreational and wellness activities. Brothers will manage the community and utilize the first-floor commercial space to provide a wide variety of housing related services to residents of the East Colfax neighborhood.

Valor on the Fax is one of the largest of the supportive housing communities in the state to receive public investment. The primary public funding sources for this activity are the City and County of Denver, Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST), and the Colorado Division of Housing. Other public investment has been made by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Denver Housing Authority. Substantial private investment has come from Enterprise Housing Credit Investments, LLC, and from ANB Bank. Philanthropic support for Valor on the Fax has been made by Wells Fargo Banks.

For more information about Valor on the Fax, visit valoronthefax.com.

 


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City of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability volunteers at work for Brothers Redevelopment’s Paint-A-Thon Program.

Corinne Sanchez has faced challenges in maintaining her cherished Denver home ever since her husband’s passing in 1994.

The 92-year-old holds deep sentimental value for the house, as it was where she lovingly raised her four children. Despite her son’s ongoing support in ensuring her independence, she requires further aid in preserving the home’s exterior. That’s where volunteers from the City of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) came in.

On a cloudy day in May, a group of enthusiastic HOST volunteers arrived armed with paintbrushes and ladders, ready to make a meaningful impact at Sanchez’s house. And because of HOST and Brothers Redevelopment’s shared dedication in preventing displacement, the volunteer match proved to be a perfect fit.

“I think the service goes a long way. Across the community there are limited resources to help people age in place,” said HOST Program Officer and Paint-A-Thon Volunteer Ian Cohn. “It’s a growing need with the boomer generation continuing to age and outpacing the number of services. The Paint-A-Thon has a huge impact on someone’s ability to receive maintenance on their home that they otherwise maybe couldn’t afford. And it revitalizes certain neighborhoods that are vulnerable to displacement — which is a commitment of ours.”

The paint job was unfortunately postponed halfway through HOST’s volunteer day because of weather — but the group didn’t let that stop them from still making a positive impact. As rain began to pour, HOST volunteers made their way to Brothers’ warehouse to help organize our garage, clean worksite trucks, organize paint inventory, and to clean our space to help support future projects.

“(The Paint-A-Thon) really served to reinforce what I personally view as the importance of volunteering and the importance of our department and our employees going out into the community. We contract so much of our direct services, so we don’t often get to be out in the community and be a part of tangible services,” said Cohn. “I think for a lot of us, it reinforces the opportunities to engage with each other and make a positive impact on the community.”

HOST invests resources, creates policies, and partners with organizations to keep people in the homes they already live in, to quickly resolve an experience of homelessness, and to connect people to affordable housing opportunities. The department accomplishes those feats by stabilizing people at risk of involuntary displacement and connecting them to housing resources; supporting people experiencing a crisis and connecting them to shelter services and short-term and permanent housing; creating and preserving affordable housing; and by connecting residents at any income level to new housing opportunities.

Brothers administers various housing assistance programs for the City and County of Denver, including the City’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance Program, and the Denver Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

For more information about HOST, visit https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability.


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Prior to suffering from severe arthritis in her knees, Gloria Loggins lived an active life in the Colorado Springs area.

She fondly recalls her time working as a dental therapist in Fort Carson for 21 years and being active in the Colorado Springs community. But once severe arthritis began to affect her health, Loggins said her life became limited.

The 86-year-old widow has a difficult time walking and uses a walker and cane. She said it was hard for her to go up and down stairs in her Colorado Springs home and had to hang on to her front door to go in and out of her house. Loggins was also fearful to bathe because her bathroom shower didn’t have a tub.

While she lives alone, Loggins’ children help care for her, but often worried about her falling down stairs or slipping while bathing. Loggins suffers from severe edema in her legs —  a condition in which swelling occurs because of too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues. To alleviate the pain, her children would fill up a commercial utility bucket so that Loggins could soak her feet, but they often struggled with the task.

Thankfully in 2022, Loggins reached out to Brothers Redevelopment’s Home Modification and Repair Program seeking help and was quickly granted life changing services.

The program installed a ramp in her garage for easy access and also installed new railings on her front steps for her to safely enter and exit her home. On the inside of the house, Brothers installed a chairlift to the upper level of the home, modified her bathroom and installed a sliding bath chair so that Loggins could soak her legs in the tub every day to help combat pain from her medical condition.

“God knew in advance that I was going to need this help. And everything that Brothers gave me, I can’t thank them enough,” said Loggins. “They were professional and kind. They cleaned up after themselves. And they treated me with respect. I just can’t say enough about Brothers Redevelopment.”

The modifications Brothers orchestrated for Loggins were made possible thanks to donations from 9News reporter Kyle Clark’s “Word of Thanks” micro giving campaign. Our Home Modification and Repair Program was featured on the campaign last year, helping us to repair and modify 13 homes for low-income homeowners who are over the age of 60 and/or experience a disability.

In total, we received $42,500 in donations from over 1,200 Word of Thanks donors and a $10,000 match from our partners at Wells Fargo. The donations ensured that our clients could remain in their homes safely for the long term.

“We want to thank all of the viewers and every person that sent in a donation. And we thank Kyle Clark, and we thank 9News for featuring the program so that the people would find out that there is something positive happening for the elderly,” said Nancie Johnson, Loggins’ daughter. “We just want to thank everybody that produced the story, and wrote the story. People have hard times. But every single dollar has counted in my mom’s life. We can’t thank everyone enough.”

Since receiving the upgrades at her home, Loggins no longer feels fear when she’s entering/exiting her house, going up her stairs and bathing. Johnson said she’s noticed a significant difference in Loggins’ appearance, legs and overall mental well-being.

“All of these services have brought tears to my eyes. You don’t know what things could’ve been,” said Johnson. “I don’t think (Loggins) could’ve have came home. How would we get her up the steps? How would we clean her? Five stars does not work. 10 stars works. But five does not. They went above and beyond. Brothers cared about her functioning in her home, and now she is safe.”

 

 


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This past month, Brothers Redevelopment was honored to welcome officials from the City of Aurora, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on tours of two of our affordable housing communities.

The day began at Paris Family Apartments with a warm welcome from Brothers President Jeff Martinez on April 25. The affordable housing community — located at 1702 Paris St. in Aurora — offers 39 units to families with children who have a household income at or below 60% of Area Median Income. Among those who visited the site include Aurora City Councilmembers Juan Marcano and Angela Lawson, HUD Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Kimberly McClain, Regional Administrator for the HUD, Rocky Mountain Region, Dominique Jackson, and others from the City of Aurora and HUD.

Later in the day, officials from HUD continued their tour of our affordable housing communities by visiting Valor on the Fax at 7900 E. Colfax. This new 72-unit community was designed to house people who have experienced traumatic brain injury or a related disability. Officials were guided by Martinez throughout the building and were shown one of the community’s three-bedroom units, architectural design that alleviates brain injury like Valor’s therapeutic rooms, the building’s state of the art rooftop and community lounge, and other parts of the community.

The purpose of the tours was for officials to see developments throughout the Denver area that are utilizing innovative and forward-thinking approaches to addressing homelessness and affordable housing.

“Having HUD officials and leaders from the City of Aurora tour two our affordable housing communities was an incredible opportunity for us to showcase the impact of our work and the importance of affordable housing solutions for low-income individuals and families. We appreciate their visit and are committed to continuing to provide safe, affordable, and sustainable housing for those who need it most,” said Martinez.

At the sites, Martinez spoke to City of Aurora and HUD officials about each community’s features, the impact affordable housing has had on tenants, and the collaboration that took place for us to offer the affordable housing communities.

Paris Family Apartments was funded with competitive Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. The $17.5 million project was made possible by federal funds from HUD that were administered by several local participating jurisdictions — including the City of Aurora, Arapahoe County and the Colorado Division of Housing. Federal funds for this project were matched by private and philanthropic grants that assisted with securing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit funds issued through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, provider of a permanent loan.

This project is a model for strong local, state, and federal partnership in providing affordable housing. Paris Family Apartments is Brothers’ first affordable housing development in Aurora and its first funded with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.

Valor on the Fax was made possible thanks to partnerships with the City of Denver, who selected Brothers to develop the community, and the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado — another nonprofit that offers support, counseling, and resources to tenants at the community.

In 2021, Denver City Council unanimously approved a resolution that provided a loan of more than $1.4 million for the construction of Valor on the Fax. That loan will be forgiven after 99 years of affordable housing performance compliance. Denver City Council also approved a $1 million contract with Brothers to provide supportive housing services to residents at the community that will help them transition out of homelessness.

Brothers offers nearly 1,000 affordable units to families, youth experiencing homelessness, and disabled residents in Denver, Aurora, Westminster, Erie, and Boulder. For more information about our affordable housing communities, visit brotherspropertymanagement.org.

 


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Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been Brothers Redevelopment’s guiding principles since we first started offering our services to the state back in 1971.

Our early days began with a mission of serving the westside of Denver — an area that has historically been home to Latinos. The area, located along the South Platte River between the rail yards that bordered Auraria, Globeville and Highland, was largely ignored by Denver’s leading citizens and was a landing place for the city’s poorest residents into the 1960s, according to a report from the City of Denver.

Our founders saw a need to serve older adults and families living in poverty with home modifications/repairs and eventually exterior house painting. Those early days set the foundation for the work we continue to do today in areas like Denver’s Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods where we continue to provide affordable housing for residents, most of whom are Latino, in order for them to avoid displacement.

And while DEI has been our guiding principle for decades, we are continuing our commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone we serve. That’s why Brothers leadership felt it was vital for all our 106 employees to participate in a formal DEI training program last month.

The training session was led by a qualified trainer provided by Mountain States Employers Council and was designed to be accessible and meaningful to employees and managers alike concerned with successfully creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and ready to explore unconscious bias. The goal of the training was to help our team gain tools and strategies for a path forward.

The training covered various topics like benefits of diversity, unconscious bias, inclusion, micro-aggressions, and more. The day ended with group discussions about how much Brothers allow for uniqueness, each employee’s sense of connection to others, how well everyone stays curious about each other, how ready and willing staff is to help each other, and how Brothers welcomes new ideas. Discussions were positive and insightful with many employees speaking about how they feel welcomed at Brothers — regardless of one’s sex, age, sexual-orientation, and race.

Our Strategic Plan — which was released at the beginning of this year — includes organization ideals about inclusion. We know we are better when all voices and people are included. We listen to the people and communities we serve, treat them with respect and let their needs drive our actions.

“At Brothers Redevelopment, we are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Our diversity, equity, and inclusion training is an essential part of our efforts to foster a culture of respect and understanding,” said Brothers President Jeff Martinez. “By embracing diversity and promoting equity, we can better serve our community and ensure that everyone has access to safe, affordable housing. We believe that by working together, we can create a better future for all of us.”


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Denver voters have soundly rejected ballot measure 2O and development on the Park Hill Golf Course. And while we are disappointed by the results, we honor Denver voters’ wishes and applaud those who voted in this election.

As the dust settles on ballot measure 2O — which would’ve allowed us to build as many as 200 new apartment homes for income qualified families and up to 60 new affordable homes as part of a Permanent Supportive Housing community serving our disabled neighbors at the defunct Park Hill Golf Course — we are looking to the future, where we are actively working to create new communities and deliver support services to address the urgent need for affordable housing across the region.

This month, we are welcoming the first tenants into our newest supportive housing community, Valor on the Fax — a 72-unit complex for Coloradans facing housing insecurity because of acquired brain injury or related disability. Valor on the Fax was developed with “trauma-informed design,” meaning that the building’s features reduce symptoms of brain injury.

When tenants settle into their new homes, they are being welcomed with wrap around services from the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado, including robust resource and community navigation, skills building, and recreational and wellness activities. And of course, our staff will be on site to provide housing resources to the surrounding East Colfax and Original Aurora communities, including rental and utility assistance, homebuyer classes, and more.

Brothers in May will also welcome families, all new first-time homeowners, to Josephine44, a new townhome community we have developed in collaboration with Tiera Colectiva, as part of our work with the GES Affordable Housing Collaborative. The homes will be placed in the Tiera Colectiva Community Owned Land Trust — a community-led effort that Brothers kickstarted in 2017 when we purchased the land trust’s first three homes and secured more than $4 million in grants to help GES families prevent displacement. We have new housing in the works, too.

Brothers is actively working with Arapahoe County to develop a new 80-unit community that would provide housing and supportive services for clients referred from justice system agencies, such as the 18th Judicial District Problem Solving Courts and the Arapahoe County Pretrial Mental Health Program. Spurred by a $3 million grant that the county awarded to Brothers late last fall, the housing and services will help these clients to access behavioral health treatment resources in a stable and safe community setting.

We are also pressing for new housing in Northern Colorado. Brothers has begun to talk, in earnest, with officials in the Town of Erie to develop new affordable housing for the growing community’s workforce. Set to build upon the small senior community that we own today which composes two-thirds of the town’s affordable housing, Brothers hopes to develop as many as 80 new apartments in the next 2-3 years to address a critical need up the northern portion of the I-25 corridor.

A bit lost, but certainly least in our efforts to support affordable housing, is the recent growth we’ve seen in Brothers Property Management, our property management company and exclusive management agent. Over the 8-12 months, our portfolio has swelled to nearly 1,000 affordable units, as we’ve grown to manage new communities serving families, youth exiting foster care and others experience homelessness and ongoing housing insecurity.

These efforts exemplify our organizational values to help house those in need.

No single development can help alleviate the pain of Colorado’s affordable housing crisis. But we can assure our community that nothing will stop us from striving to ensure that every person has a safe place to call home.


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In response to an unprecedented amount of inquiries, Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632) is taking even further action to address the region’s affordable housing crisis.

Adding to its array of classes that are aimed at helping Coloradans have a safe, decent place to live, Colorado Housing Connects launched a series of affordable housing webinars for residents in Denver, Pueblo, Adams County, El Paso County, and Weld County. The webinars are led by Colorado Housing Connects’ expert housing navigators and detail tips and tricks for navigating affordable housing.

Throughout the year, Colorado Housing Connects has set weekly records for online and telephone inquiries. In March, the housing helpline averaged more than 1,500 inquiries a week from renters, homeowners, landlords, and others with housing related questions.

“Since the beginning of the new year, we’ve seen more people reaching out to Colorado Housing Connects for support than ever before. This challenge presented us with a valuable opportunity to broaden our class offerings and engage more clients with a deeper level of service,” said Colorado Housing Connects Program Director Patrick Noonan. ”I hope anyone that attends walks away with a better understanding of how to identify affordable housing opportunities that best meet their needs and that they are equipped with the resources they need to take the next step in their affordable housing search.”

Each affordable housing webinar is tailored to best educate attendees, based on their location. Topics covered at the webinars include types of affordable housing, challenges of affordable housing, income levels for affordable housing, and teaches community members how to access affordable housing.

The classes are needed and timely as the cost of living continues to rise throughout the state and country.

Common Sense Institute, a non-partisan research organization, found that since 2015, the price of housing in the Denver metro area has exceeded the U.S. average. The organization says home affordability has decreased by 86% since 2015 and also found that 80% of Coloradans live in a county with an aggregate housing supply shortage.

In February, around 270 Coloradans attended a Colorado Housing Connects affordable housing workshop.

Those who are interested in attending an affordable housing workshop — or other Colorado Housing Connects classes for prospective homebuyers, housing resources, budgeting, and more — can find a class by clicking on the “Upcoming Events” tab at coloradohousingconnects.org.


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SPARKwest in Boulder.

Brothers Property Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brothers Redevelopment, is pleased to announce that it was awarded new property management contracts to manage Alameda View Apartments and SPARKwest.

Alameda View Apartments — located at 15501 E. Alameda Parkway in Aurora — is a 116-unit, Low Income Housing Tax Credit family community. Meanwhile, SPARKwest in Boulder at 3215 Bluff St. holds 45 units of permanent affordable housing.

Over the past year, Brothers Property Management’s portfolio has grown to offer nearly 1,000 affordable units to families, youth experiencing homelessness, and disabled residents in Denver, Aurora, Westminster, Erie, and Boulder.

“Brothers Property Management is pleased to announce it has been awarded contracts to manage Alameda View Apartments and SPARKwest. We are committed to providing the best experience possible for our clients and our residents,” said Brothers Property Management Director Tiffani Thomas. “Client satisfaction is instrumental in our growth of serving Denver, Aurora, Erie, and Boulder.”

Since 1987, Brothers Property Management has provided property management services to properties owned by Brothers Redevelopment. In 2019, the agency branched into third party management and currently provides property management services to numerous clients — including Attention Homes in Boulder — a 48-unit housing complex for homeless youth between the ages of 18-24.

Brothers Property Management’s staff has vast experience in understanding how to improve a property’s performance. The agency provides leasing, maintenance, resident retention, lease compliance, compliance, accounting, and reporting to each of the properties it manages/owns. For more information about Brothers Property Management or to schedule a consultation, visit brotherspropertymanagement.org.

Alameda View Apartments in Aurora.

2250 Eaton St., Suite B,
Denver, CO 80214

Main Phone Number: 303-202-6340
CHC Phone Number: 844-926-6632
Brothers Property Management:
877-751-9990
TTY 711
info@brothersredevelopment.org

Copyright Brothers Redevelopment Inc. 2013-2024. All rights reserved.

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