Archdiocesan Housing

“This place is the best. I don’t know where I’d be without it.”

Bettie Johnson has called Cathedral Plaza her home for the past nine years. In that time, she has solidified her position as a “resident celebrity” who has a way of making everyone feel better after being with her.

At 76, she makes it her mission every day to brighten the halls and can’t go too far before being stopped by her neighbors who she calls friends. A few residents even asked for her autograph as she smiled and posed in the lobby. Fitting that her shirt that day read “kind people are my kind of people.”

Before moving to Cathedral Plaza, Bettie resided in a dim and gloomy garden level apartment in Denver with minimal sunlight. One of her biggest concerns was the cost of a new apartment and how she was going to pay for it. The place wasn’t meant for someone as bright and infectious as Bettie. One day, she and her grandson started their trek to apply for affordable housing around Denver.

Cathedral Plaza was always at the top of her list. When she got the call that her application was accepted, she already felt happier than she had in months. And because Cathedral Plaza’s location is so convenient, Bettie didn’t have to worry about having to pay for a car or insurance. Reflecting on those days before she got the call, Bettie says her previous living situation was a stark contrast to her current home. She moved to Denver years ago, but never expected to have to worry about where she could live.

Having found what she calls, “the best place to live” in Cathedral Plaza, a housing community managed by Catholic Charities Housing, Bettie considers it to be the greatest comfort. The transition to Cathedral Plaza marked a significant turning point for Bettie, as she found herself surrounded by a welcoming community and a brighter, more uplifting environment.

As a recipient of housing assistance, Bettie is deeply grateful for the support that has allowed her to establish a sense of security and belonging at Cathedral Plaza. She cherishes the moments spent in the communal areas, engaging in conversations with her neighbors and participating in various activities organized by the community. A few weeks ago, she spent her evening dancing to jazz music with staff and other residents, reminiscing over her days dancing at Denver jazz clubs.

“This place is the best. I don’t know where I’d be without it. The staff makes us feel like we are people, not just seniors,” shared Bettie.

For Bettie, Cathedral Plaza is not just a place to reside; it’s a nurturing environment that has enriched her life in countless ways. Whether she is on a community outing or sharing stories with her peers, Bettie finds solace and contentment in her home at Cathedral Plaza.

“A Home with a Coach”

Catholic Charities Housing’s St. Valentine’s Apartments in Loveland celebrate our grand opening

In July of 2016, Daniel lost his 4-year-old to an accidental drowning in Fort Collins. It was a life-altering event that would change the course of his path throughout Northern Colorado.

After a bout of couch surfing and living out of his car in Windsor, Daniel eventually became unhoused in Loveland. He utilized many of the services the city provided for the unhoused community, which led him to a blank application and a pen. Daniel would soon be approved to be one of the first residents of St. Valentine’s Apartments in Loveland and would not have to spend another cold winter night outside again. “I call this home. For me, it is home. And I am so glad to be here. If it was not for Catholic Charities and the City of Loveland and other contributors, we would still be outside.”

He invited the rest of the residents in attendance to join him at the podium as they stood with pride in front of their beautiful new apartment building.

City of Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh and other city officials also attended the ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. She spoke about a resident of the building who she had gotten to know prior to the building’s opening. “I would see the signs of frostbite on her fingers when she showed me pictures of her family. It was devastating. She came up to me at a city council meeting a few weeks ago and I told her to “go home” in the nicest way possible. She looked shocked by the word ‘home.’ That night was the first one she would be residing here,” said Marsh. “I can’t thank you enough for providing homes to our city.”

The new and innovative supportive housing complex in the Sweetheart City, located at 915 E. 10th Street, provides housing for people who are exiting homelessness. The building has 48 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units with 54 units. Importantly, St. Valentine is not just a housing complex; it’s a comprehensive solution to address the challenging issues faced by the homeless population.

“This project is more than just a building, it’s a testament to love, support and community. It’s about offering a hand for healing and creating a space where everyone can find a home and hope,” said Justin Raddatz, vice president of Catholic Charities Housing. “We’re proud of our team, our partners and the Loveland entire community who came together to take this project from dream to reality.”

St. Valentine’s Apartments, the latest housing project from Catholic Charities Housing, is providing a light at the end of the tunnel for individuals struggling with homelessness in Loveland, Colorado. The project, which began five years ago in partnership with the City of Loveland, began accepting residents in late December 2023, with full occupancy expected in mid-March.

The new and innovative supportive housing complex in the Sweetheart City, located at 915 E. 10th Street, provides housing for people who are exiting homelessness. The building has 48 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units with a total 54 units. Importantly, St. Valentine is not just a housing complex; it’s a comprehensive solution to address the challenging issues faced by the homeless population.

Unique Vision

St. Valentine isn’t just an affordable housing project. It’s a supportive housing project, with the goal not to simply house residents, but to help lift them to their next chapter. The Catholic Charities Housing team has diligently worked to ensure that the project is heavily staffed, with five dedicated full-time service providers, including navigation managers, two case managers and a clinician who offers triage services for acute issues. In addition, the project is providing long-term support without imposing time limits on its residents.
“There is significant need for affordable housing of all kinds across Colorado,” said Justin Raddatz, Executive Director, Catholic Charities Housing. “But supportive housing – which provides the resident with stable long-term housing and supportive services in the same place –  is one of the most intense, challenging projects to develop and operate and serves the most vulnerable homeless residents in the community – exactly the type of mission we at Catholic Charities sign up for.”

Why Loveland?

For many years, Loveland was considered a “bedroom community,” with many residents traveling to Fort Collins, Greeley and even Denver for work. But with the explosion of development and an emphasis on growth in recent decades, Loveland’s population has doubled over the past 30 years, bringing with it complex challenges and problems that used to be faced only by larger cities. Thankfully, Loveland’s leadership recognized the challenges and proactively moved forward to address the issues of homelessness.
“I am profoundly grateful to Catholic Charities for stepping in and building the Saint Valentine Apartments,” said Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh. “Housing and caring for those who have been chronically unhoused is a monumental endeavor. We human beings will see an animal, such as a dog or a cat, alone, abandoned, shivering in the cold and we will stop what we are doing and we will attempt to help the animal. Yet, we ignore, fear or even hate the human animal that is unhoused. Unlike the cat or the dog, we assign blame to the unhoused human. I suppose those thoughts and beliefs justify our looking the other way.”
The Mayor continues, “Or perhaps it’s merely a lack of knowing what to do? Or perhaps it’s knowing that taking in the unhoused, the suffering human being, will require more than we are willing to take on?  At the end of the day, healing the human being, may be possible, if we work together. If we step out of our comfort zone, reach across the divide that separates the house and the unhoused and if we extend a welcoming hand and say ‘I see you, you matter, come inside, rest, heal, let’s find a path, together.’ Thank you, Catholic Charities, for being the hand that extends the welcome, for providing the home, the safe haven for those who have lost their way. Thank you for restoring hope.”
Something for Everyone

The meticulous planning and execution of this housing project reflect the dedication of the team involved in bringing this vision to life. In addition, security is a top priority at St. Valentine’s Apartments, with staff ensuring 24/7 coverage to create a safe and secure living environment for all residents.

One distinctive feature of the complex is its center courtyard, where residents can soak up the sunshine, find comfort in shade and engage in community activities. Building on that sense of community and providing a place to build camaraderie, the courtyard hosts an outdoor concrete ping pong table and plenty of tables, chairs and benches.

Partnerships Abound

The success of St. Valentine’s Apartments is attributed not only to the dedication of Catholic Charities Housing with the collaborative efforts from the City of Loveland, ShopWorks Architecture and KCI. Homeward Alliance and SummitStone Behavioral Health are our primary service partners. Working closely with local authorities, the project has seamlessly integrated into the community, becoming a testament to what can be achieved when public and private entities join forces to address critical social issues.

As St. Valentine’s Apartments continues to welcome residents and provide a supportive haven, it stands as a shining example of how compassion, collaboration and community engagement can transform lives and create lasting positive change.

Moving into a new home can be an overwhelming experience, especially when you’re on a fixed income. For the residents of the St. Valentine supportive housing complex in Loveland, Colorado, those “little” things that add up were taken care of. Thanks to the tireless efforts of building coordinator Rob, all 54 units at St. Valentine’s received “starter kits” to help them get adjusted to their new living spaces. Parishioners at St. John the Evangelist in Loveland, and other individuals contributed thousands of dollars over the past few months to make sure every resident had all they needed to make their new house a home. Everything from kitchen to bath to bedding was included in these packages to make their transition as smooth as possible.

During the move-ins that started this month, residents have been lifted from many of the stresses of rising costs, with a warm place to call home this winter season. Paired with these “starter kits,” 80 individuals are that much closer to having all of their basics met. These tokens of kindness are what the Loveland community is all about.

On top of the $400 worth of items that were purchased for each unit, Rob also arranged for $50 Safeway gift card to be given out. These gift cards gave residents a chance to stock their pantries and fridges up for the first couple of weeks.

For the 80-plus individuals receiving income-based housing at St. Valentine’s, this is the start of a wonderful new chapter in their lives. A place to call home, and items that make it feel even homier. Thank you to the city of Loveland for welcoming this building into your community, and for welcoming some new neighbors with open arms. God bless.

Loveland – the town, not the ski area – is known as the Sweetheart City with a long history of helping neighbors and welcoming strangers. The Catholic Church at the center of that tradition is St. John the Evangelist and parishioners there are turning the city’s reputation into reality for residents of Catholic Charities Housing’s newest affordable housing property.

St. Valentine’s Apartments will offer 48 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units that could house up to 80 low-income tenants for a low monthly rent when it opens in end of this year. Each unit will come fully furnished, with access to site-wide internet services. Outside, tenants will have access to a large, landscaped courtyard with benches, tables and play equipment.

It is no secret that the housing market throughout Northern Colorado has skyrocketed, and housing costs have nearly doubled in Loveland over the past ten years. This jump in costs and interest rates has moved many longtime residents out of the region. With 30 affordable housing properties across Colorado, Catholic Charities Housing offers concrete solutions to the challenges of housing affordability and relies on partnerships to help residents create comfortable homes. With a firm understanding of the need for affordable housing in the community and a call to action after a Sunday Mass in May of this year, St. John the Evangelist in Loveland sprang into action to help.

For weeks, parishioners passed around a second offertory basket, collecting a $7,500 for the project. In addition to monetary donations, parish member Therese Hazzard volunteered her time to organize welcome packages for all the residents. These packages are no small feat, containing blankets, towels, housewares, gift cards and more, valued at around $500-600 each. To ensure everything was covered, Catholic Charities Housing ordered approximately $20,000 in Amazon items with the help of the parish donations to be delivered to Hazzard’s home so that residents have the essentials when they turn the key in their brand-new apartments when the building officially opens in late 2023.

“It’s heartwarming to see a community come together to support each other in such a meaningful way,” shared Justin Raddatz, Vice President of Development at Catholic Charities Housing. “As a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist, I am blown away by the generosity they have shown to keep our community housed. And to Therese Hazzard, we are humbled and blessed by your volunteer and monetary contributions.”

During speeches shared at the Grand Opening of Catholic Charities affordable housing property nearby, Immaculata Plaza II building in Greeley, affordable housing has been life changing.

Flora, a 72-year-old woman living in the brand-new building in Greeley said that, if not for the option for affordable housing in Northern Colorado, she would be living under a bridge. After her husband passed away, she was barely able to make ends meet for food. Now, she has a kitchen with brand new appliances, where she can walk to the store and make food for her neighbors.

The contributions of St. John the Evangelist in Loveland will directly help people like Flora in Loveland, to provide pots and pans for home-cooked meals, blankets for comfort and so much more. St. Valentine’s will serve as a protective space for dozens awaiting the day when they don’t have to worry about a place to call home.