Salt Flats Project

Grand Junction is facing a serious housing challenge. The City’s 2024 Housing Strategy shows that we need more homes for people at all income levels —from families looking to buy their first home, to seniors and workers needing affordable rental options.

Over the past few years, housing costs have risen much faster than incomes. In 2019, many homes were still within reach for middle-income families. But by 2025, the median home price had climbed to $420,000 — a 74% increase in just six years. At the same time, higher interest rates have made it even harder for families to qualify for a mortgage. In 2021, nearly half of homes sold were affordable to moderate-income households; by 2024, that number had dropped to less than 1 in 10. Less than 81% of households can afford current home prices in Grand Junction.

The rental market tells a similar story. Since 2019, average rents have gone up by 44%, while household incomes have barely moved. Vacancy rates are at historic lows, and lower-cost rentals have nearly disappeared from the market. Many renters now pay close to a third of their income on housing, leaving little left over for savings or everyday expenses. Currently, less than 54% of households can afford current rental rates in Grand Junction

Altogether, we need more than 4,000 new homes in the coming years to keep up with demand — including both rentals and homes for sale. This includes a shortfall of about 2,700 moderately priced for-sale homes and more than 1,200 affordable rental units.

The Salt Flats Project is part of the solution. By building a mix of affordable, attainable, and market-rate housing, Salt Flats will help make sure Grand Junction remains a place where teachers, nurses, service workers, young professionals, and families of all sizes can find a home that works for them.

To utilize the State grants for infrastructure and land acquisition, the City of Grand Junction committed to ensuring the site is no less than 70% of units must meet the definition affordable housing. Click here to see the definition of affordable housing.

30% of the units can be attainable and market-rate housing, these units help to cross subsidize and get even lower rental and homeownership rates on other units.

Currently, the Salt Flats project is expected to deliver between 324 and 550 new homes.

Based on the proposals — which may change as financing, planning, and fire review processes move forward — here is a quick overview of the first phase of the housing units, along with their estimated price points and the households they are designed to serve:

Volunteers of America/MGL - Affordable Rental Housing - 62 Units:

Construction is expected to begin in Winter 2027, with final completion in Spring 2028. The project will provide 62 new homes specifically for seniors and veterans, including 13 project-based vouchers for veterans. These homes will be reserved for households earning 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) — which is about $50,000 for a two-person household. At this income level, the maximum allowable rent (including utilities) would be $1,377 for a two-bedroom or $1,147 for a one-bedroom. However, rents will ultimately be set so that no household pays more than 30% of their actual income, ensuring affordability tailored to each family’s situation.

Brikwell - The Ascent at Salt Flats - Affordable Rental Housing - 144 Units:

Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026, with completion anticipated in Spring 2027. This project will bring 144 new homes for single individuals and families, offering a mix of studios, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. Brikwell plans to use an income averaging approach across the development at approximately 58% of the Area Median Income (AMI). This means some units will be set as low as 30% AMI and others as high as 70% AMI, creating a balance that allows for cross-subsidization within the project. For example, a studio at 30% AMI would have a maximum rent of about $535 per month, while a four-bedroom at the same income level would be capped around $888 per month.

Rural Homes - Affordable Homeownership - 48 Units:

Construction is expected to begin in Winter/Spring 2026, with completion anticipated in Winter/Spring 2027. This project will deliver 48 new for-sale townhomes designed for families. Rural Homes plans to use modular construction to build both townhomes and single-family homes affordable to households earning less than 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

This approach allows families to purchase homes at prices well below the general housing market. For example, a family of four earning 80% of AMI could purchase a home for approximately $262,000, or about $2,040 per month including utilities and insurance.

Detailed information on future phases COMING SOON!

A general estimate of future phases and units:

Affordability at the Salt Flats

As part of the Proposition 123 Land Banking Grant, the Salt Flats project must meet strict affordability requirements. At least 70% of the homes built on the site must meet the definition of affordable, meaning they are priced within reach of households at specific income levels as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The remaining 30% of homes can be built as attainable or market-rate units, which helps offset costs and makes the overall project financially viable.

Attainable, or workforce housing, is designed for households that earn too much to qualify for traditional affordable housing programs but still struggle to find housing in today’s market. These are often nurses, police officers, firefighters, teachers, and skilled trade workers — people who are essential to our community but are increasingly priced out of Grand Junction’s housing market.

By blending affordable, attainable, and market-rate housing across the Salt Flats site, the project creates a neighborhood that reflects the real mix of incomes and families in Grand Junction. This variety is important not just for fairness, but also for the health of the community — ensuring that the people who work here, serve here, and raise their families here can also afford to live here.

What is Affordable Housing?

It’s important to know that housing affordability and affordable housing are not the same thing.

• Housing affordability describes the general cost of housing in the market compared to what people earn. For example, when home prices or rents rise faster than wages, housing becomes less affordable for everyone.

• Affordable housing, on the other hand, has a specific legal definition. These are homes that are intentionally created and protected to remain within reach for households at certain income levels.

Affordable housing is built with long-term protections and guidelines that make sure it truly serves the community members who need it most. To qualify as affordable housing, a unit must meet four key elements:

1. Income Restricted – Affordable housing is reserved for households within certain income limits, as set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For rental units, households must typically earn 60% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). For homeownership opportunities, the maximum income is 100% of AMI.

   AMI is adjusted by household size. For example, in Grand Junction a family of four could earn up to $61,200 to qualify for an affordable rental, or up to $102,000 to qualify for an affordable home purchase. With the average local wage at about $54,000, most working families in Grand Junction would meet these income requirements.

2. Price Restricted – Affordable housing must have a rent or sale price capped so that local families can realistically afford it. These price limits are tied to the Area Median Income (AMI) and set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

   For rental housing, the maximum rent (including utilities) is capped at the 60% AMI level and adjusted by bedroom size. For example:

   • A studio apartment could not exceed $1,071/month

   • A two-bedroom apartment could not exceed $1,377/month

For homes for sale, affordability is calculated to ensure that monthly housing costs (mortgage, utilities, insurance, etc.) remain within reach. A household earning about $102,000 (100% AMI for a family of four) could afford a home priced around $325,000, or about $2,400/month with all costs included.
These limits ensure that affordable homes and apartments stay priced for the households that need them most.

3. Long-Term Affordability – Affordable housing isn’t just affordable when it’s first built — it’s required to stay affordable for the long term. Through legal agreements, these homes are guaranteed to remain affordable for 30 to 99 years, depending on the type of funding or program used.

This ensures that affordable homes continue serving families well into the future, even as the housing market changes. Instead of rising to full market prices after a few years, these units stay within reach for working families, seniors, and future generations of Grand Junction residents.

4. Cost-Burden Standard – Affordable housing is designed so that households spend no more than 30% of their income on housing costs. This includes rent or mortgage payments, plus essential expenses like utilities and insurance.

This standard ensures families are not “cost-burdened,” meaning they still have enough income left for food, transportation, healthcare, and other daily needs.

For example, a household earning $54,000 per year (about the average in Grand Junction) should pay no more than $1,350 per month for housing and utilities. Affordable housing programs are built around this standard to make sure working families can live securely without being stretched too thin.

To see a full 2025 Income and Maximum Rental Table for Mesa County by AMI and bedrooms - click here.

To put it into perspective, affordable housing in Grand Junction serves a broad range of our community. For seniors, veterans, and minimum-wage earners at or below 30% AMI, these units provide stability. At 40% AMI, they support daycare workers, para-educators, and hospitality staff. At 60% AMI, they make housing possible for agricultural workers, EMTs, and those in sales and retail. At 80% AMI, they support firefighters, teachers, and social workers. And at 100% AMI, they provide options for nurses and police officers.

Affordable housing isn’t about “them” or “low-income” — it’s about creating homes for all members of our community who need to live, work, and thrive here, ensuring Grand Junction remains both safe and economically diverse.

Attainable/Workforce Housing

In Grand Junction, attainable or workforce housing is generally defined as:

• Rental units affordable to households earning 60–80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

• Homeownership units affordable to households earning 100–120% of AMI.

To put this into perspective, most new market-rate rentals in Grand Junction are priced at about 85–90% AMI — out of reach for many working families. On the ownership side, the average home price is now around $420,000, and new construction typically costs even more.

Attainable housing fills the gap for households that earn too much to qualify for traditional affordable housing programs but still can’t keep up with market prices. This often includes teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and skilled trades workers — people our community depends on every day.

By including attainable housing at Salt Flats, alongside affordable and market-rate homes, the project helps ensure that a full range of Grand Junction’s workforce has a place to call home.

Understanding Market-Rate vs. Affordable Housing

Most of the new rental housing built in Grand Junction over the past five years has been market-rate housing. Market-rate simply means the price of rent is set by what the market will bear, without any limits or protections to keep it affordable for local families. Developers and property owners set rents based on demand, construction costs, and what they believe people are willing to pay.

Because of this, market-rate housing is not the same as affordable housing. Affordable housing has income limits, rent caps, and long-term agreements to make sure it remains accessible to households at a range of incomes. Market-rate housing does not have these restrictions, which means rents often end up higher than what many working families can afford.

While new market-rate units do add supply to the community, they typically do not meet the needs of lower- and middle-income households. That’s why affordable housing is so important — to ensure that teachers, service workers, first responders, families, and seniors can all find a home within reach.

The story of the Salt Flats site reflects years of community planning, voter support, and strategic action by the City of Grand Junction to meet the community’s housing needs.

In 2021, the City adopted its first Housing Strategy, a framework of 13 strategies designed to address the housing challenges facing Grand Junction. Among these was the idea of leveraging City-owned land and strategic acquisitions to support affordable housing.

By 2023, it became clear that a barrier stood in the way: the City Charter limited leases on City-owned land to 25 years, far shorter than the 30–99 years typically required by affordable housing funding sources. To address this, the City placed Ballot Measure 2B on the ballot. With strong voter approval, the Charter was amended to allow up to 99-year leases for affordable housing, unlocking access to City owned and/or City acquired property for affordable and attainable housing.

In 2024, the City completed a Housing Strategy Update and Data Refresh, reaffirming housing as one of the community’s most urgent needs. Around the same time, the City applied for and received a $2.2 million Proposition 123 Land Banking Grant from OEDIT, paired with a $1 million City match. This competitive grant made it possible to acquire the 21.78-acre Salt Flats site. A Letter of Intent was signed with the property’s seller, En-Sim QOF, LLC, in April, and subdivision of the full 33-acre parcel began.

Recognizing that infrastructure costs had long made the property infeasible for private development, the City applied for the More Housing Now Grant from the state’s Energy and Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) in August 2024. This request for $2 million, combined with an $800,000 City match and a seller contribution, was approved in November 2024, securing the resources needed to build the backbone infrastructure for the site. By January 2025, the purchase of the Salt Flats property was finalized.

To select development partners, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in early 2025. Thirteen proposals were received, and after review and interviews, four development teams were chosen, including Brikwell as the Master Developer and Master Planner. In May 2025, the teams — alongside their architects, engineers, designers, and finance partners — met at CHFA’s offices in downtown Grand Junction to create a coordinated master plan for the site.

Construction of Phase 1 infrastructure began in August 2025, focusing on 28 Road improvements, Grand Avenue connections, and installation of water, sewer, and drainage systems. Local residents may notice some delays along 28 Road while this work continues through 2025. With infrastructure underway, the first housing projects — Brikwell’s Ascent at Salt Flats and VOA’s senior and veteran apartments — are expected to begin vertical construction in 2026, with the first homes opening by 2027.

Over the following years, additional phases will be built, including for-sale townhomes by Rural Homes, Veritkal and future Brikwell-led projects. Under the Proposition 123 Land Banking Grant, at least 324 housing units must be developed on the site, a full development plan must be formalized within five years (by 2029–2030), and all financing for the site must be secured within ten years (by 2035). Ultimately, Salt Flats will deliver between 324 and 550 new homes across a range of income levels, from deeply affordable rentals to attainable for-sale homes and some market-rate units.

This timeline reflects the long-term vision and step-by-step approach needed to transform a long-vacant site into one of the most important new housing communities in Grand Junction.

During the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, Brikwell was selected as the Master Planner for Salt Flats because of their proven experience and track record. Master planning a large site like Salt Flats is important because it ensures that housing, infrastructure, parks, and transportation all work together as one coordinated community rather than as disconnected projects. It allows for thoughtful design, efficient use of land, and a balance of housing types that reflect the needs of the whole community. A strong master plan also gives private developers clarity and confidence, reducing risk and creating a roadmap for long-term success.

Brikwell and its extended team have delivered or managed over 4,498 housing units, entitled 461 acres, and developed or purchased more than $10.8 billion in assets across the country. Unlike short-term builders, Brikwell is focused on long-term stewardship — building high-quality homes and neighborhoods designed to last. They are not merchant builders; rather, Brikwell is a community-focused developer committed to long-term ownership, high-quality design, and projects that improve lives.

The Ascent at Salt Flats

The first major project under the Salt Flats master plan is the Ascent at Salt Flats — a 144-unit affordable rental community. This development will provide a full mix of unit sizes, from studios to four-bedrooms, serving households earning between 30%–70% of Area Median Income (AMI) with a community average of 58% AMI. Importantly, 44 units will be studios — filling a major gap for individuals and small households — while 36 units will be larger family-sized three- and four-bedrooms, meeting another critical housing need.

The Ascent will also feature a 3,000 sq. ft. Early Childhood Education center with capacity for 60 children, as well as adjacent outdoor play space. With zoning already in place, construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026 and wrap up by Winter 2027.

Looking Ahead: Future Phases

Beyond Ascent, Brikwell has outlined an additional project anticipated as Phase 3, projected at 120 mixed-income units. This phase is proposed to leverage Proposition 123 Concessionary Debt/Equity, with affordability averaging 80% AMI, and a mix of market-rate, workforce, and affordable housing. Completion is anticipated by Summer 2030, with more details to come as planning and financing progress.

As Brikwell emphasized in their proposal, they are committed to a cohesive, long-term vision for Salt Flats that provides homes for families and individuals across a wide range of incomes.

To learn more about Brikwell - Visit their website https://brikwell.com/