Park Hill Golf Course

Community Benefits Agreement

This is Community Action

The most comprehensive Community Benefits Agreement in Colorado, to date

Legally Enforceable Benefits

The CBA reiterates the affordable housing commitments in the Development Agreement, creating a second, legally-binding mechanism that enforces Developer accountability for the affordable housing. Elements that were key to the goals and desires of the community include:
- A minimum of 25% of all housing developed on-site will be income restricted for a minimum of 99 years
- Affordable housing on-site will serve a variety of price points and residents including: for-sale, family-sized rental units, senior rental units, permanently supportive housing, and income restricted units integrated into the market rate buildings
- The inclusion of 2- and 3-bedroom units to serve families and larger households
- In addition to the City’s Prioritization Policy, Developer has committed to outreach and targeted marketing for available units to residents at risk of, or who have experienced displacement from Northeast Park Hill, Clayton, Elyria-Swansea, and Skyland
- $150,000 commitment from the developer to work with a local organization to identify BIPOC-, local-, and women-owned businesses that could potentially contract for work on the development, and support them through business incubation, capacity building, and process navigation
- Design and construction contracting will include a preference for BIPOC-, local-, and/or women-owned businesses. Specific commitments will be developed by the consultant who develops the Pathways Initiative and these commitments will be incorporated into the procurement process for Developer design and construction work
- Property Tax Anti-Displacement Fund established to support residents facing increasing property tax within a half mile of the Park Hill Golf Course; funds to support this work will match the overall need and are not limited by the Developer.
- Homeowner Initiative to raise awareness about affordable homeownership opportunities and a targeted marketing program to identify eligible buyers from the Northeast Park Hill, Clayton, Elyria-Swansea, and Skyland neighborhoods
- Investment in the design development costs for the 303 ArtWay Heritage Trail signage and branding and subsequent investment in trail construction through the site; funds to support this work - $10,000 initial investment, plus $1,000,000 per mile of trail constructed on the golf course land
- Fieldhouse and Sports Field Initiative to coordinate with Denver Parks and Recreation and the Elevate Athletic Performance Foundation to create a community fieldhouse and sports field that provides additional amenities consistent with community priorities
- The greater of 12,000 square feet or 10% of the commercial square footage will be dedicated as below market commercial space to support economic opportunities for BIPOC-, local-, and/or women-owned businesses
- Donation of a parcel of land for a full-service grocery store. This parcel will be reserved for a period of 10 years paired with incentives for the grocer who locates on- site, if it is not used for a Grocery Store the CBA Implementation Committee will have input into what goes on the site
- Solicitation of a credit union or other financial institution to locate on-site
The Agreement Runs with the Land
- Obligations extend to any developer or owner, even in the event of the sale/transfer of the property
CBA Implementation Committee
- A community-centered committee will be established to monitor CBA compliance and to provide guidance on implementation and project decisions that are relevant to components of the CBA. Developer will contribute $50,000 to fund the start-up operations of the committee

The impacts of systemic oppression and racism are alive and continually reverberating throughout the communities adjacent to the former Park Hill Golf Course. Denver's Northeast Park Hill, Clayton, Elyria Swansea, and Skyland Neighborhoods have great diversity in race/ ethnicity and income. However, like most urban neighborhoods across the country, these areas have been heavily influenced by institutional practices that have reinforced social inequities.

These inequities cause challenges when it comes time to engage a changing neighborhood, where the platform for a community's voice typically belongs to those with privilege. This privilege manifests in many ways and can overrepresent the viewpoints of a community. Those without the benefit of free time are often unheard, missing out on helping to shape the future of their environments. Without these voices, communities continue to develop and change in ways that cater to the privileged, further contributing to inequitable neighborhoods.

To combat these long-standing systems and patterns, residents, local workers, and community leaders have come together to advocate for a Community Benefits Agreement (“CBA”) to advance the goals identified in the Community Voice Report through the development of the former Park Hill Golf Course. The Park Hill Golf Course Community Voice Report is the culmination of over a year and a half of deep community engagement and analysis carried out by community leaders and DMCI.

After many years of work, countless meetings through 2022, and negotiations with ACM Park Hill JV VII, LLC, the Developer, the Park Hill Golf Course CBA Coalition is proud to announce we have reached a transformative agreement that will enhance the lives of current and future community members while setting a precedent for all other Community Benefits Agreements.