Ivory Innovations has released the names of 25 finalists for the Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability, and two of them are in Denver. The finalists are selected by an advisory board which is composed of the top minds in housing across the U.S. In addition to awarding financial support, Ivory Innovations connects all of its finalists with leading practitioners, capital partners, student interns, and pro bono consulting or capacity-building services. The two Denver finalists are:
Madelon (MadelonGroup.com) simplifies infill housing development by streamlining and productizing the entire process. They seamlessly integrate each component, including pre-designed housing products that are compatible with industrialized housing manufacturers, into their online REDtech platform. This allows small local developers, non-profit institutions, and even community trusts to get into the driver’s seat and finally leverage new construction technology to identify and build more affordable housing supply at scale.
Launched by Gary Community Ventures in partnership with Denver’s Black community, The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth (DearfieldFund.com) provides up to $40,000 in down-payment assistance to first-time African American homebuyers to help build generational wealth. The fund aims to close the racial wealth gap and accelerate Black homeownership by generating an average of $100K in net worth for 500-600 Black families, leading to $50-$75M in wealth creation for the Black community. The fund seeks to create a model that other cities could replicate in their own housing markets.
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