URBAN UPDATES
It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the world in which we all live.
- Dalai Lama
March | 2021
ULC is Hiring a VP of Real Estate!

Are you excited by the world of CLT, LIHTC, NMTC, PAB, TIF, IZ, OZ, NZ, and TOD? Do you have the real estate expertise to advance the mission of a unique nonprofit that is committed to equitable and sustainable development? Do you like to multi-task and be a team player in an organization that is looking to double its $140M in community real estate investments over the next five years? Urban Land Conservancy (ULC) is looking for a Vice President of Real Estate who brings a deep knowledge and passion for affordable housing and nonprofit facility development in neighborhoods battling gentrification.

The deadline to apply is Monday, March 15, 2021 at 5:00 pm.
Are you a mission-minded organization looking for AFFORDABLE office space?
ULC Receives Two Eagle Award Nominations!
ULC is excited to announce we have received two Eagle Award Nominations! Established in 1990, the Eagle Award represents one of the highest achievements in the Colorado housing community and celebrates extraordinary accomplishments and outstanding leadership in housing and support services. The award honors individuals, agencies, projects, and programs that soar to new heights in their work to ensure safe, fair, affordable housing for all Coloradans.
Erin Clark, Vice President of Master Site Development has been nominated in the Person/People category for her outstanding work in the affordable housing community.
ULC's Walnut Street Lofts Development has been nominated in the Project/Place category. Walnut Street Lofts is a five-story apartment complex with 66 permanently affordable one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. It opened in the summer of 2020 and sits across the street from the 38th and Blake Station ‘A’ rail line between Union Station and DIA. Walnut Street Lofts is part of ULC’s Community Land Trust (CLT); ULC acquired the land in 2011 at $25 sq. ft. Today, the land would cost about $200 sq. ft. and would not be feasible for affordable housing. Walnut Street Lofts demonstrates the value of a CLT: purchasing land and preserving it for uses that benefit the community in perpetuity.
Farewell and Good Luck, Mark Marshall!
After five-plus years of exceptional work at ULC, Mark Marshall has taken on a new leadership position with Colorado affordable housing provider Rocky Mountain Communities. 

Mark joined ULC after a national search to fill the Director of Real Estate role in 2015. He moved with his family to Denver after working 20 years in affordable housing development in Chicago. 

“One of Mark’s greatest skills is his ability to build relationships,” said Aaron Miripol, ULC’s President and CEO. “His diversity of real estate experiences, his calm demeanor, his sense of humor, and his ability to connect with people from all different walks of life make him a valuable resource to any organization.” 

Mark hit the ground running as soon as he joined ULC and was later promoted to Vice President of Real Estate. He led several outstanding developments, including the Walnut Street Lofts (see article above). Mark worked tirelessly with Medici Communities to ensure Walnut Lofts was awarded tax credits and that all debt was paid off so ULC could successfully hold the land in our Community Land Trust. 

Mark will be running the real estate department for Rocky Mountain Communities, a nonprofit steeped in affordable housing preservation and development in Colorado. We look forward to continuing our work with Mark in this new chapter! 
Thank You, Rus Heise!
ULC would like to extend our sincere thanks to Rus Heise for his decade of service on ULC’s Board of Directors. Due to the pandemic, we were unable to give Rus a proper send-off in 2020. 

“Rus brings a wealth of knowledge in real estate finance and has an ability to look at all the different complex aspects of financing development and come up with a straightforward rationale to make things work,” said Aaron Miripol. “He has been a tremendous asset to ULC, and we are grateful he will continue to work with us.” 

In ULC’s 10-year anniversary video, Rus said, “I love cities. They’re a great intersection of culture, of people; they’re kind of gritty messy places, and that’s wonderful!” 

With Rus’s volunteer support, ULC is able to steward community resources in this challenging and wonderful Metro Denver community for long-term community benefit. Rus continues to serve as a volunteer on ULC’s Development and Finance Committee. 

Thank you, Rus, for all you continue to do in making our urban communities a more equitable place to live and work.  
Partner Spotlight of the Month:
Colorado CarShare
What started, in 1997, with a few neighborhood friends in Boulder who wanted to reduce their environmental impact by sharing ownership of a car, has grown into one of the country’s first nonprofit Electric Vehicle (EV) carshare programs. Colorado CarShare’s mission is to empower communities to live a car-free lifestyle and positively impact their health, wealth, and shared environment. They aim to make Colorado a “cooler,” healthier, and more socially equitable place to live. 
Driven by a community-focused approach, Colorado CarShare centers on making a positive environmental impact while promoting access for individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. 

“We noticed that the larger, for-profit carsharing companies were not serving the communities that need them most,” said Peter Krahenbuhl, Colorado CarShare’s Executive Director, and CEO. “We’ve extended our reach and partnerships with low- to mixed-income neighborhoods to provide car-sharing services, as well as mobility-related education and outreach.” 

ULC and Colorado CarShare installed a charging station and car-share vehicle at ULC’s Mountain View Nonprofit Tower in early 2021. Mountain View's tenants and the surrounding community will greatly benefit from subsidized carsharing.

To read more about Colorado CarShare, click the button below.
Community Spotlight:
Villa Park
The Villa Park Neighborhood is located in West Denver, about three miles west of Downtown Denver. It is chiefly composed of single-family homes with some apartment buildings and townhomes. The neighborhood has access to parks, trails (including the Lakewood Dry Gulch), highways, the RTD West Line connecting Denver to Golden, and beautiful views of the city and mountains. As many Denver neighborhoods continue to become less affordable, ULC has made an effort to create additional affordable housing opportunities within Villa Park. 

The Villa Park Neighborhood Association has been a long-term active component of Villa Park’s development. They are currently working on the West Area Plan under Denver’s Neighborhood Planning Initiative and are focused on promoting affordable housing development and supporting neighbors in staying in their homes. Click here to read the 2008 Sheridan Station Area Plan. Click the button below to read more.
Urban Land Conservancy | urbanlandc.org