BOULDER – Boulder Housing Partners will break ground Feb. 13 on an apartment community for seniors.

It's the first new affordable senior housing built in Boulder since 1982, according to Boulder Housing.

"There's an enormous demand for new apartments in this price range," said Betsey Martens, executive director of Boulder Housing. Most of the affordable senior-housing inventory in Boulder is 30 to 40 years old, and most don't serve seniors earning 50 percent to 60 percent of area median income."

The three-story, 59-unit apartment community is in South Boulder at 4990 Moorhead Ave., near Table Mesa Drive and U.S. Highway 36.

It will offer one- and two-bedroom apartments with full kitchens, private balconies or patios, a washer and dryer and carport spaces.

All apartments will be built to Energy Star and Enterprise Green Communities standards.

A 100-kilowatt solar array will be installed on roofs and carports. Residents will be able to track the building's energy use and solar generation with an in-unit monitoring system. Each resident will receive a free local and regional bus pass to take advantage of nearby transit stops and the Table Mesa Park-n-Ride.

The community will have a catering kitchen, Internet cafe, lounges, raised bed gardens and a play area for visiting children. It is adjacent to regional public trails and will have bicycle racks for residents.

Prospective tenants must be at least 62 years old and income-qualify, as eligibility is based on earning 30 percent to 60 percent of area median income. Monthly rents for the one-bedroom units start at $505 and two-bedroom units start at $606, not including utilities. Eligible incomes range from approximately $15,000 per year to $43,000 per year.

According to Boulder Housing's market research, virtually all existing affordable senior housing in Boulder is 30 to 40 years old. Nearly half of all the units are studio or efficiency units; most lack air conditioning and complete kitchens. There are only 12 two-bedroom affordable senior apartments in the city.

Boulder Housing is financed by federal grants, donations and rental fees. Cost of this project was not disclosed.
Interested parties can register for project updates and join an interest list at www.boulderhousing.org/content/high-mar.

The groundbreaking will be from 11 to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 4990 Moorhead Ave., Boulder.