About Thistle
News
 Toby’s Lane homes, located near 55th and Arapahoe, are the only homes built in Boulder to receive the Leed Gold certification for achievement in green homebuilding. LEED for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third-party certification system for building and designing high-performance green homes which was developed and is administered by US Green Building Council.
Toby’s Lane homes are designed with features such as tankless water heaters, 90% efficient furnaces, double hung (Low-E) vinyl windows, state-of-the-art Icynene®foam and fiberglass batt insulation in the ceilings and walls. Additionally, all the homes are solar ready, with the necessary conduit for solar panels installed on the roof. Three homes already have 2.1 kW solar systems installed and functioning.
As well as being energy efficient, five of the eight homes at Toby’s Lane are permanently affordable through the City of Boulder’s deed-restricted program. Homeowners include two university employees, two government employees, and a non-profit director. Forty percent (two out of five) of the new affordable homeowners were Thistle renters before buying a home at Toby’s Lane.
 Said Mary Roosevelt, Thistle CEO, “Working families with incomes of 70-110 percent of the Area Median Income ($53,750 to $88,770 for a family of three) now have the choice to live and work in Boulder. Our market rate homes at Toby’s Lane were the lowest-priced new construction in the City of Boulder and our next development at Yarmouth Way will feature the same pricing. Fifteen of the 25 homes at Yarmouth Way will be market rate.”
“While demand for traditional residential construction is slowing, the green housing market continues to grow and Toby’s Lane is a great example of why this is,” said Nate Kredich, Vice President, Residential Market Development, U.S. Green Building Council. “LEED certified homes are healthier places to live, produce lower utility bills, have better air quality, and leave a smaller environmental footprint behind.” To date, approximately 5,000 homes in the US have achieved certification with LEED for Homes program, and over 20,000 have registered and are in process.
Our Mission
The Mission of Thistle Communities is to create and preserve quality, permanently affordable rental and ownership homes for working families, seniors and people with disabilities. Thistle’s 1,000 homes allow teachers, health-care workers, and others who are the backbone of our economy to live in the communities where they work.
History of Thistle
A charitable non-profit, Thistle was created in 1989 to meet the need for affordable and accessible rental housing, serving 24 people with disabilities. Thistle expanded its mission to provide workforce rental housing, then became a developer in 1993. In 1996 homeowners purchased their first Community Land Trust homes. Thistle is now the largest private provider of permanently affordable homes in Boulder County. Since its founding, Thistle has created over 1,000 affordable homes, providing quality housing for over 3,000 residents and responding to over 4,000 requests for information and services annually.
Awards
Blue Vista received the 2007 Sustainability Award for Advancing Green Design and Planning from the Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association; and the 2008 Green Development of the Year Award from the National Association of Home Builders
Board of Directors
Joe Ballestrasse, President, First National Bank of Colorado
Jerry Lee, Vice President, Lee Real Estate
Derrick Robinson, Treasurer, Robinson Capital Management
Richard Harris, Secretary, Retired
Fred Marienthal, Assistant Secretary, Kutak Rock
Pat Sterner, JFB Associates
Gloria Weissman, Thistle Resident
Staff
Mary Roosevelt, Chief Executive Officer
Denise Huxford, Human Resources and Operations Manager
Alesia Martin, CPA - Director Of Finance/CFO
Sam Miller, Administrative Support
Sally Moser, Marketing and Communications Director
Joe Rosenblum, General Counsel
Marguerite Ryback, Executive Assistant
Marsha Samuelson, Accounts Payable Technician
Tracy Walters, Director of Property Management
Carlene Sanchez, Boulder Property Manager
Desiree Little, Compliance and Finance Specialist
Luis Duenas, Capital Projects
Benny Chavez, Boulder Maintenance Tech
Ventura Terrazas, Boulder Grounds Keeper
Dion Gonzalez, Boulder Maintenance Tech
Mark Schott, Boulder Maintenance Tech
Jessica Calles, Longmont Property Manager
Mike Coulter, Longmont Maintenance Supervisor
Guillermo Gonzalez, Longmont Maintenance Tech
Ashley Jenkins, Longmont Leasing Agent
Tim Mayhen, Longmont Maintenance Tech
Abram Peinado, Longmont Maintenance Tech
Alma Rico, Longmont Leasing Agent
Links & Partners
Boulder County Housing Authority
http://www.co.boulder.co.us/cs/ho/index.htm
The Boulder County Housing Authority helps foster the availability of quality, affordable housing and related services for lower income residents of Boulder County.
Boulder Housing Partners
http://www.boulderhousing.org
BHP manages properties with varying rent structures which allow BHP to offer rents based on family size, income and program.
City of Boulder Division of Housing
http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/hshhs
City of Boulder Division of Housing is committed to making a home in our community available to a variety of people – including those who find it difficult to purchase or rent a home in today’s housing market.
City of Longmont
http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/cdbg/index.htm
The City of Longmont works together with Thistle on preserving affordable rentals and homeownership as well as educating home buyers.
Elevations Credit Union
http://www.elevationscu.com
Partners with Thistle on the Alliance for the American Dream Campaign. Elevations is owned by its members and drive by the spirit of volunteerism in community involvement. Elevations meets the changing needs of its membership in a manner that is beneficial to the entire community.
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Non-Violence
http://www.bouldercountysafehouse.org
The Safehouse Emergency Shelter Program provides crisis intervention, safe shelter and advocacy for victims of interpersonal violence and their children. Help is available 24 hours a day through the crisis hotline.
Boulder Shelter for the Homeless
http://www.bouldershelter.org
It is the mission of the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless to provide safe shelter, food, support services, and an avenue to self-sufficiency for homeless adults in our community
Colorado Division of Housing
http://dola.colorado.gov/cdh/index.html
An informative and extensive resource for home owners and renters.
Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)
http://www.colohfa.org/
CHFA is a public agency working to finance affordable housing, business and economic growth opportunities for Colorado.
Enterprise Foundation
http://www.enterprisefoundation.org
Helps to catalyze and link critical resources for affordable housing, economic development, employment and public safety initiatives.
Housing Helpers
http://www.housinghelpers.com
Housing Helpers is a full service relocation company offering the largest source of houses, apartments and condos for sale and rent along Colorado’s Front Range.
Imagine!
http://www.imaginecolorado.org
Imagine! provides support services to more than 2,300 people of all ages with
developmental delays and cognitive disabilities
Center for People With Disabilities
http://www.cpwd-ilc.org
CPWD provides resources, information, and advocacy to assist people with disabilities in overcoming barriers to independent living.
Employment Opportunities
Boulder Leasing Agent Position Available. Are you a seasoned leasing agent with knowledge of affordable housing? Thistle has an immediate fulltime position in Boulder available
for a proven team player
with multi-family housing experience. The qualified candidate
will be responsible for
leasing, customer service, marketing and administrative duties.
Experience in affordable
housing required as well as Yardi software. Spanish/Bilingual
pereferred. Excellent benefits and great work environment. Call 303-443-0007 ext. 101.
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