Planning Commission recommends rezoning on West Littleton Boulevard to enable affordable housing

The Littleton Planning Commission voted 7‑0 to recommend that city council rezone four parcels at 439 and 589 West Littleton Boulevard from Neighborhood Commercial to Corridor Mixed.

The recommendation, made by the commission on a motion before the hearing, would allow by‑right multifamily residential uses that South Metro Housing Options (SMHO) says are necessary to build a 4‑story, affordable apartment building if the nonprofit receives Low‑Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).

Staff presented the rezoning request and said the site — four contiguous parcels totaling about 1.482 acres — is identified on the city’s future land use map as Corridor Mixed and that the request is consistent with the Envision Littleton comprehensive plan. Alicia Quan Hammitt of Zipperline Strategies, speaking for the applicant, said SMHO intends to build a four‑story building of one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments with surface parking and an outdoor courtyard, and that rezoning to Corridor Mixed would allow residential multifamily uses by right rather than as a conditional use under Neighborhood Commercial zoning.

Why it matters: SMHO representatives and multiple community supporters said the project would add workforce and affordable units near transit and businesses along the corridor. The applicant stated the project would be competitive for LIHTC awards administered by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) and estimated roughly $21,600,000 in investment if tax credits are awarded. Staff and the applicant also told the commission that a timely rezoning decision matters to the tax‑credit application timeline: the applicant said they must have rezoning in place by July to pursue the CHFA competitive round (the applicant described…