Liberty View

Colorado

Liberty View, also known as The Fitzsimons Veterans Independent Living Center, is an independent living facility designated for Veterans, Veteran spouses, and Gold Star Family members. This project represents more than a decade of work by Aurora Housing Authority (“AHA”) to manifest commitments made when the local Fitzsimons Army Base closed. The community offers Veterans affordable rents, access to acclaimed medical care, and support from a staff in a vetted model established at other senior AHA properties. Many federal, state, and local organizations have a stake in this development, and AHA worked closely with the Veterans Administration, Colorado Department of Human Services, the City of Aurora to design a project that connects and completes the campus while expanding services for residents.

The property features one building with 49 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units. Both the building’s design and location are meant to connect residents to their immediate and broader community and community services. The building design centers amenities and the service coordinator office around the entrance, while each floor has a common laundry facility and trash chutes. In addition to property management, the building has a half-time Service Coordinator position to help residents access medical care, transportation, food banks, and social opportunities. Specifically, the Service Coordinator will advocate for residents around mainstream benefits such as Old Age Pension, SNAP, Social Security, Medicare and supplemental insurance. The project development budget includes a tenant services reserve to support funding this position over 15 years. The site includes community gardens, walking paths, and courtyard oriented to maximize the green space between this building and the adjacent Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons. Knowing that seniors face risk factors stemming from social isolation, the project will be pet-friendly, and facilitate connections between people and resources. The building’s interior includes community space, a common kitchen, a workout room, and a computer lab and library. The property is more broadly centered in a health care innovation district as well as adjacent to bus stops and within walking distance of a light rail station. There is a nearby VA Hospital, a shopping center with grocery store and retail, and the Aurora Center for Active Adults.