A newly broken-ground housing development off South Chambers Road in Aurora is betting that stable housing, paired with on-site mental health care, can stop people from cycling back through jail. Wagoner on the Creek will offer 60 units reserved for people experiencing homelessness and those leaving incarceration, with leasing expected to begin next spring and a targeted opening in fall 2027.
Local and state leaders broke ground on the project, which developer Brothers Redevelopment describes as the first development of its kind in Arapahoe County, according to Denver7. Units will be restricted to residents earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income, and the project is financed in part through competitive 9 Percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and Transit-Oriented Communities credit notes awarded by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority in 2025. Brothers Redevelopment, an affordable housing nonprofit, previously received a $500,000 grant in June 2024 to help fund the 60-unit community, as reported at the time by FOX31 Denver.
Why Housing Is Treated as Crime Prevention Here
The case for the project rests on local numbers. According to an Arapahoe County study cited by Denver7, people experiencing homelessness re-enter jail at a rate 46% higher than people with stable housing, and they serve sentences that run 44% longer than those of people with stable housing. That four-year study underlies the county’s rationale for treating housing as a direct intervention against repeat incarceration.
Karen Rodriguez said people leaving incarceration face difficulty finding jobs and housing, according to the same Denver7 report. Jeff Martinez said Wagoner on the Creek is designed to prevent recidivism and help people transition into the community, while Jennifer Bock said the development will help people thrive. Formerly incarcerated individuals are expected to rebuild their lives at the property once it opens.
Services Layered Onto the Housing Itself
Brothers Redevelopment has partnered with AllHealth Network, an Englewood-based mental health nonprofit, to deliver on-site behavioral health and support services for residents. AllHealth Network will provide case management, therapy onsite, peer support, and supportive employment services meant to help residents find and maintain jobs. Case workers will also collaborate with community service agencies and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, while Arapahoe County Human Services and the Colorado 18th Judicial District’s Bridges Program will provide justice system navigation support. When leasing begins, caseworkers will find resident referrals rather than relying on a general waitlist…