Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR), Colorado Carshare and Denver Housing Authority (DHA) are thrilled to announce the expansion of an electric vehicle (EV) car share program into six under-resourced communities in Denver.
With support under the federal CARES Act this includes the deployment of six shared EVs and associated “charging stations” in order to improve local mobility options in these communities. Colorado CarShare is offering deeply discounted rates for residents in qualified housing programs (see below for locations). The project seeks to alleviate the economic, public health and safety impacts of the COVID-19 emergency, while meeting the City’s social equity, mobility and climate change goals.
Why is it important?
Many lower-income residents are experiencing challenges related to reaching necessities and services during the worst health and economic crisis in modern history. Safe, reliable, and affordable mobility options are a critical lifeline for groceries, employment, medical care and other basic human necessities. Yet many people deemed vulnerable do not own a personal vehicle.
CASR, in partnership with Colorado CarShare, previously piloted an electric carshare site in Denver’s Mariposa neighborhood in 2019 and based on the success of this location sought opportunities to expand the program. They worked closely with Denver Housing Authority, the affordable housing provider for Denver, to find potential sites that were located in under resourced communities and which could support additional shared EVs as compliments to other mobility options.
“It has long been a fundamental tenet of Colorado CarShare to serve our community in mixed-income areas, and we are excited to take this step forward in sustainability with CASR and Denver Housing Authority,” said Colorado CarShare’s CEO Peter Krahenbuhl. “We expect this initiative to act as a catalyst for many more shared electric vehicles in similar communities around Denver,” Krahenbuhl continued.
Carshare Locations
The new EV carshare locations include:
- 2855 Tremont St, Denver Motor Vehicles Building, Five Points/Whittier Neighborhoods
- 330 24th Ave, Denver Housing Authority, Five Points Neighborhood
- 10th and Decatur, Denver Housing Authority, Sun Valley, Sun Valley Neighborhood
- 1024 Navajo, Denver Housing Authority, Lincoln Park Neighborhood
- 2004 Chestnut Place, City lot, Union Station/Five Points Neighborhoods
- 1600 N Downing St, Urban Land Conservancy, City Park West Neighborhood
If you or anyone you know lives in a DHA or other qualified affordable housing program, please contact [email protected], as you may qualify for a greatly discounted carshare service!