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What We Do
We’re a Denver-based 501(c)3 nonprofit. By engaging with communities and securing land for community benefit, we seek to counter displacement caused by rising real estate costs and gentrification.
Affordable real estate. For good.
ULC has invested in more than 50 properties across more than 20 neighborhoods to deliver affordable housing for longtime residents, and to create stable work spaces for local, mission-minded organizations.
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A good home
Since 2003, ULC has made possible more than 1,850 affordable homes in neighborhoods threatened by displacement.
Photo: Viña Apartments in Denver.
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Good health
ULC places promote positive health outcomes. From culturally-relevant health clinics; to urban farms full of fresh veggies; to a food hub providing free, healthy meals for families, and more.
Photo: The Center for African American Health in Denver.
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Good times
Schools. Playgrounds. Grassy open spaces. A community futsal court. A Boys & Girls club building. At ULC places, kids can be kids.
Photo: Thriftway Pocket Park in Denver.
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Good opportunities
In ULC places, commercial kitchens host free culinary job training. A former bank building finances small-business dreams. Teen parents earn their degrees. And youth with neurodivergence gain career skills and independence.
Photo: Mosaic Community Campus in Denver.
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A good, long time
Communities are more resilient when affordability is permanent. From apartments to commercial kitchens, schools to warehouses, health centers to urban farms – ULC places are meant to last for generations.
Photo: New Legacy Charter School in Aurora.
How We Work
No two neighborhoods are the same. ULC works with a variety of partners and methods to deliver long-term benefits that align with expressed community needs.
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Land Banking
ULC acquires land before it’s scooped up by a for-profit buyer – for future use as affordable housing or mixed-use spaces delivered by a trusted development partner or by ULC.
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Preservation of Affordable Housing
ULC secures existing affordable apartment buildings that come up for sale – so that rents don’t escalate to market rate under for-profit ownership.
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Community Land Trust
For properties in ULC’s community land trust, ULC owns the land, while the building on that land is owned by another mission-minded organization that uses it as an office, clinic, school, or as affordable housing.
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Real Estate Development
ULC develops property for community benefit, including affordable housing and educational space. Development may involve ground-up construction, or renovation of existing properties.
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Low-Cost Leasing for Nonprofits
ULC Nonprofit Hubs offer leases well below the market rate to more than 50 nonprofits and schools. ULC Nonprofit Hubs are vibrant, functional spaces designed to foster growth, collaboration, and community impact.
Sustainability
Those living or working in affordable spaces deserve all the benefits of efficient, clean-energy buildings — including cost savings and better health outcomes. Because our real estate investments impact communities for generations, we believe in investing in sustainability too.
