The University of Denver Launches New Certificate Program in Affordable Housing
DENVER — The demand is growing for skilled professionals to help address the affordable housing crisis in Colorado and across the country. In response, today the University of Denver is launching a new program to provide professionals with the foundational and technical knowledge needed to build more affordable housing and more equitable communities.
The new executive certificate in affordable housing – the first of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region – will draw on a network of DU faculty experts and industry insiders in real estate, construction management, law, social work, and public policy. The 8-month program, with classes beginning Fall 2024, will be jointly offered by the Burns School of Real Estate & Construction Management at the Daniels College of Business and the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute (RMLUI) at the Sturm College of Law.
“Providing professionals with education and training to advance more sustainable and equitable communities is a core mission of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute,” says Professor Susan Daggett, executive director of RMLUI and co-director of the executive certificate program. “We’re excited to team with our university and industry partners to help upskill professionals currently working in affordable housing and reskill professionals looking to transition into this important work.”
The executive certificate in affordable housing is launching at a time when many universities are trying to tailor course offerings to meet the job demands in many labor markets. New research from Georgetown University finds the supply of middle-skills credentials is misaligned with the projected job demand.
Lack of affordable housing supply has culminated in a housing crisis in the West. As communities scramble to tackle this problem, the demand for skilled professionals in the affordable housing sector is growing.
“We’re uniquely positioned at DU to help meet this demand,” says Professor Vivek Sah, co-director of the executive certificate program and director of DU’s Burns School. “With integrated coursework in social and public policy issues, regulatory and legal frameworks, project finance and funding mechanisms, construction management and design, as well as project development and property management tools, we are training professionals to not only understand the broad scope of affordable housing issues, but also how to best address them.”
The executive certificate in affordable housing is generously funded by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Simpson Family. Scholarship opportunities to offset program costs are available and more information can be found at www.du.edu/affordable-housing.