Work on the 50 affordable housing units in a development called the Fruita Mews is nearing completion, which means soon the townhomes can be occupied.

That’s why the Fruita Housing Authority, which in June 2023 partnered with Indibuild to build the housing development at 1601 K 4/10 Road, has put out word it is taking applications from potential residents.

Who can apply?

For applicants to be eligible, the housing authority requires an applicant’s income must be 30 to 100 percent of the area’s median income, which is $64,000.

Interested residents can contact Syringa Property Management at 970-730-7826 or email thefruitamews@syringa.com. Additional information is available at thefruitamews.com.

About the townhomes

All of the townhomes are rentals, and monthly rent ranges from $800 to $1,000. The Fruita Mews townhomes feature amenities such as paid water, sewer, trash, and recycling; pet-friendly units; Energy Star appliances; high-efficiency HVAC heat pumps; and property-level Wi-Fi.

The grounds of the development offer a dog park; playground; common-house meeting room; bicycle parking and maintenance station; and electric-vehicle charging stations.

For families with elementary-school-aged children, the development is adjacent to Monument Ridge Elementary School

Why was this needed?

According to a news release from the Fruita Housing Authority, the income requirement for renters will ensure long-term affordability for the local workforce.

Attainable housing was identified as a priority in the City of Fruita’s comprehensive plan. From 2010 to 2018, single-family houses were the primary development in Fruita, with few options for people looking to rent, live in smaller houses, or live in multifamily dwellings.

In 2020, the Fruita Land Use Code was adopted by Fruita City Council to encourage diversity of housing types to fit the needs of the Fruita community. And that led to the limited partnership with IndiBuild, an affordable housing development company.

“Our partnership with IndiBuild represents a significant step forward in providing quality, attainable housing options for Fruita residents. We are able to expand housing options in the community, ensuring more residents can live, work and play in Fruita,” said Matthew Breman, Fruita’s mayor and a city council member since 2020.

What’s with these tax credits?

The Fruita Housing Authority news release also mentioned the benefits of this housing development being the first in Fruita to be supported with housing tax credits.

IndiBuild will receive property tax abatement for 15 years, sale/use tax abatement specifically for the construction of the Fruita Mews development, and $93,000 in waived parks, open space and trails impact fees.

After a 15-year compliance period, IndiBuild will provide the Fruita Housing Authority financial projections to determine if the limited partnership should continue or if the project will achieve financial viability without the tax credits, which would then end the partnership.

The FHA will have the option for first right of refusal if the partnership receives an offer from a third party to purchase the project. The FHA also has a purchase option. The partnership will pay the FHA a $5,000 annual fee, pay for all legal fees and administrative costs, and the FHA will have a 0.01% interest in the limited partnership.