Longmont Groundbreaking Set For Tomorrow

Imagine! is breaking ground on its Longmont SmartHome this Thursday, July 23, joining the recently opened Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder to become the first two homes in the nation to incorporate technologies to enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities.

On December 12, 2007, federal, state, and local leaders met at Longmont’s city government chambers to witness a check presentation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to Imagine! for $645,300 to be used toward the building of Imagine!’s SmartHome in Longmont.

In 2008, after the Imagine! SmartHome team submitted a City of Longmont Application for Affordable Housing Projects, Greg Wellems, Imagine!’s Innovations Director, and Sterling Wind, Imagine!’s SmartHome Project Manager, made a presentation to the City of Longmont’s Technical Review Committee to request City Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the Longmont SmartHome.

The presentation must have been a resounding success, as Imagine! was notified in October that City of Longmont is recommending that the SmartHome project be awarded $60,232.00, along with an additional $12,934.00 if the City receives more than the minimum amount of CDBG funding, to be directed towards purchasing a lot in Longmont.

And in mid-April, 2009, the Colorado Division of Housing (CDOH) awarded $90,000 to be used for construction costs for the Longmont SmartHome. The award was the result of a grant prepared by Imagine!'s HUD consultant, Mary Anderies, and a presentation by Greg and Sterling.