On June 24, 2025 WellPower celebrated a milestone in Denver’s approach to supportive housing with the opening of Sheridan on 10th, a 60-unit development that is the realization of a vision — a vision of hope, stability and opportunity for Denver’s most vulnerable residents.
Community partners and government officials gathered for a ribbon “tying” ceremony for this groundbreaking facility that promises to transform how we think about housing for people experiencing mental health challenges.
This new development builds on WellPower’s pioneering work in trauma-informed design, expanding a model that has already proven to save lives and taxpayer dollars while creating genuine opportunities for healing and recovery.
“Sheridan on 10th has been thoughtfully designed to ensure that every individual who walks through its doors feels seen, valued and empowered,” said James Greer, president and CEO of WellPower. “It’s a place where hope takes root, and where people can find the strength and resources to thrive.”
A Revolutionary Approach to Supportive Housing
When someone who’s experienced years of being unhoused first walks through the doors of a typical supportive housing facility, the building itself can trigger their trauma. Narrow hallways feel like traps. Unexpected sounds cause panic. Harsh lighting makes rest impossible.
At Sheridan on 10th, every design element works to counter these triggers and support healing.
“The building can actually do some really good work all on its own by providing a safe, comforting, supportive environment,” explained JoAnn Toney, director of Housing and Residential Clinical Services at WellPower, “by having little nooks and crannies where people can find their safe space.”
The Hidden Crisis: When Buildings Themselves Trigger Trauma
For the 40% of people experiencing homelessness who also face mental health challenges, finding housing is only the first hurdle. Traditional supportive housing—with its institutional feel—can actually retraumatize residents.
Research reveals that 70% of the world’s population has experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime. For people experiencing homelessness, that percentage skyrockets even higher.
In contrast to previous housing models, Sheridan on 10th utilizes trauma-informed design that acknowledges residents’ lived experience. “We have extra wide hallways so that you can stand at one end and see all the way to the other end and know that it’s a safe journey home,” Toney noted. “We have open stairways so that you know you won’t be trapped in spaces that may not have been safe for you in your life.”
“This thoughtful design serves our most critical population by building on everything we learned from Sanderson. We asked ourselves, ‘How can we make this even better and more responsive to residents’ needs?’ That’s what makes this development so incredible,” said Steve Johnson, COO, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).
The Four Pillars of Healing at Sheridan on 10th
WellPower’s trauma-informed design approach centers on four interconnected principles:
1. Safety: The Foundation of Everything
At Sheridan on 10th, this translates into:
- Wide, well-lit corridors with clear sightlines
- Multiple exit routes in every common area
- Natural lighting throughout
- Staff positioned to provide support without surveillance
“Everything’s in line of sight so that they know what’s safe and what’s not,” Toney explained. “It mitigates anxiety.”
2. Comfort: Designing for Dignity
The building incorporates biophilic design elements proven to reduce stress:
- Natural wood materials that provide sensory calm
- Fractal patterns found in nature
- Dynamic lighting supporting circadian rhythms
- Acoustic design minimizing triggering sounds
3. Connection: Building Community Without Force
The design creates opportunities for organic connection through:
- Graduated social spaces from private to public
- Pet-friendly areas recognizing animals’ healing power
- Cultural artwork reflecting residents’ identities
- Outdoor spaces visible from inside
Toney shared powerful examples of impact: “Some of our residents are now living in Aurora near their adult children and providing daycare for their grandkids—grandkids they weren’t allowed to see before they came into our program. They’ve been reunited with their partners.”
4. Choice: Restoring Agency
“We all want to have a voice and choice and be able to advocate for ourselves,” Toney emphasized. “In permanent supportive housing, residents get to come inside and then the treatment begins. But they get to choose whether they want to live there or try something else.”
The Business Case for Compassionate Housing
Trauma-informed supportive housing isn’t just morally right—it’s fiscally responsible. Recent research provides striking evidence:
- Housing First programs save an average of $31,545 per person in emergency services over two years
- Programs cost up to $23,000 less per consumer per year than shelters
- Health care costs decline significantly among Housing First recipients
WellPower’s Sanderson Apartments, which pioneered this approach in 2017, achieved a remarkable 77% housing retention rate. “I think that’s why our housing retention is so high,” Toney noted, crediting the combination of design and choice.
From Innovation to Standard Practice
“Sanderson was the first trauma-informed design-driven permanent supportive housing building in the nation,” Toney proudly stated. “Our building is toured constantly at Sanderson, and I get phone calls from all over the United States from people asking about it.”
The success has caught national attention. Visitors come from Austin, Alaska, Utah and Montana. “We are in the white pages for trauma-informed design for permanent supportive housing,” Toney shared. “It’s the first time ever a housing program has been linked to positive health outcomes.”
Sheridan on 10th builds on these lessons with enhanced features based on resident feedback. The development includes 60 studio and one-bedroom apartments, community spaces, a fitness center, computer lab and on-site supportive services—all designed with trauma-informed principles.
“We’ve been eagerly anticipating this opening for so long. Now to see it become reality is incredibly exciting,” said Haley Schroeder, President of the Villa Park Neighborhood Association. “This is the perfect location—right by Sheridan Station with easy access to transit and community resources. We’re thrilled to welcome these new residents as our neighbors and look forward to them having a supportive space to heal and thrive in our community.”
The WellPower Difference: Comprehensive Wrap-Around Services
“I think we are so successful because WellPower has an incredible amount of wrap-around services,” Toney emphasized. This comprehensive approach at our permanent supportive housing sites includes:
- Vocational services for employment support
- Drop-in centers for those not ready for clinical services
- On-site pharmacy and psychiatrists
- Medical clinic access
- Short-term stabilization without losing housing
- Substance treatment programs
- Intensive outpatient programs
“If things become overwhelming in your apartment and you need to be stabilized, you don’t have to go to the hospital,” Toney explained. “You could go short term to our hospital alternative program, and you’d still have your apartment to discharge back to.”
The Vision for the Future
With nearly 10,000 people experiencing homelessness in Metro Denver, the need for permanent supportive housing remains critical. “I would love for us to begin working on the next building,” Toney shared, “because WellPower right now has about 2,000 people who are unhoused and literally on the streets.”
She emphasized the importance of permanent solutions: “Those tiny home communities have time limits on them. Permanent supportive housing doesn’t. Your recovery and your wishes as a person dictate how long you stay. You get to choose.”
Building a National Movement
WellPower’s trauma-informed design isn’t just an innovation—it’s an imperative. Every night someone with mental illness sleeps outside, every crisis that could have been prevented by thoughtful design represents a failure of imagination and will.
As Denver celebrates the opening of Sheridan on 10th, we’re not just celebrating a new building. We’re proving that a more compassionate and effective approach to supportive housing is possible. And we’re inviting communities across the nation to join us in making trauma-informed design the new standard.
“It works. We know it,” Toney stated simply but powerfully.
WellPower would like to extend its appreciation to: Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, Legacy Bank, American Express/Richman Capital, S.B. Clark & Companies, Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Colorado Division of Housing, Denver Housing and Stability, Alliance Construction, Davis Partnership Architects, Denver City Council President Jamie Torres, Villa Park Neighborhood Organization, Morrison Group, Yates Investment Partners and Urban Land Conservancy for their willingness to come together for the common good and make the vision of this project a reality.
Be part of WellPower’s Solutions to Homelessness and turn your donation into impact! CO residents who donate $200+ in support of this initiative can receive a tax credit equal to 25% of your gift. Donate now and indicate “HCTC” with your gift to qualify.
WellPower is Denver’s leading community mental health organization, serving over 20,000 people annually through innovative programs including supportive housing, crisis response and comprehensive mental health services. Learn more about our housing programs at wellpower.org.