Metro West Housing Solutions (MWHS) is a non-profit affordable housing developer and manager, with properties located in Lakewood and Denver. All of the properties owned by MWHS are located in first-tier suburbs that typically lack healthy living-oriented urban design, infrastructure facilities, and local healthy living programs. In 2013, MWHS started the Health First! Initiative, a multi-faceted, capital investment program, designed to encourage healthy living amongst residents. The mental and physical health impacts of these capital investments and programming will be tracked for at least five consecutive years to capture the results of their investment in existing properties.

CCCD students created a master plan for MWHS’s Cedar Gardens and Cedar Avenue properties that engaged residents in the design process. Community residents were invited to provide their input into preliminary designs during a National Night Out celebration held on the properties. CCCD students presented the existing conditions plan, photo surveys and three schematic design ideas for feedback from residents. Based upon residents’ preferences, a final plan was created for both properties.