The Opportunity
Tree Lane was an important affordable housing community, created by Heartland Housing for families emerging from homelessness. Financial and operating distress put its future at risk. The opportunity was preservation: keep the housing affordable while changing the ownership, management and resident experience.
The Challenge
This was not a clean development site. It meant acquiring a troubled property out of receivership, addressing physical and operating needs, rebuilding trust, navigating existing affordability restrictions, and creating a healthier long-term operating model without losing the mission.
The Approach
Acquire and stabilize the property, invest in repairs and appearance, reset management and operations, and give the community a new identity. The City, County and State worked closely with Cinnaire Solutions on a strong recapitalization package. Renaming Tree Lane as Amphora — with exterior improvements and a resident welcome effort — signaled that the community deserved care and a genuine sense of place.
The Result
Rather than losing 45 affordable homes, the property was preserved and repositioned under new ownership. Amphora continues to provide income-restricted housing with a renewed physical identity and management approach.
Why It Matters
Development is not always new construction. Sometimes the highest-value work is preserving a vulnerable property, fixing what isn’t working and restoring dignity to a place residents already call home. We do our best work when we are open with our public-sector partners and build real trust with them.