FAQ

Artesan Lofts is helping to intersect community-based arts and commerce opportunities to affordable housing. Along with the John C. Dunham Aurora Arts Center, we help reinforce the strong, culturally diverse neighborhood in downtown Aurora by helping providing artisans with affordable live-work spaces to practice, perfect and create their crafts. Learn more about the growing arts and cultural center in Downtown Aurora.

• A resume and/or portfolio that evidences art education, professional training, exhibitions, performances, samples of work, and any career related information that demonstrates professional intent
• Advanced education and/or training or knowledge of art, or
• Other evidence of the attainment of special artistic skills as a workman or craftsman.

Artesan Loft’s is now accepting pre-applications, complete a form today and find out if you qualify!

1 Bedroom – $889
2 Bedroom – $1,020

* Net payable rent will be reduced by a utility allowance applicable to the unit size.

Explore our artist apartments and floor plans through a clickable map.

Tenant is responsible for paying their own gas and electric. However, tenants will also receive a Utility allowance which is a net reduction from your rent payment. The Utility allowance for a 1 Bedroom is $134 ($750 Net Payable) and Utility allowance for a 2 Bedroom is $181 ($880 Net Payable).

Learn more about the unmatchable benefits and amenities for our live-work spaces.

Keep in mind that income requirements are based on the combined incomes of all household members and there is strict enforcement of residents being listed on the lease. Use our clickable map to learn more about the artist apartments and floor plans.

The property does have restrictions about noise. Quiet time is generally considered between 10pm and 7am. Amplified musical or dance practice is only allowed in the tenant common space and within the stated rules for those spaces. The project has adopted some rules about noise that adheres to the City of Aurora noise ordinance, which states that quiet time is generally designated between 10pm and 7am such that noise may not be heard seventy-five feet beyond the property line of the property from which the sounds originate. Neighbors who may have quiet art forms such as writing may ask you to keep noise down when they are working.

There are three steps to the application process for rental of units at Artesan Artist Lofts:  

1. Initial Pre-Application Submitted Online: In addition to the pre-application, an artist questionnaire is required for each artist within the household. The primary leaseholder must be at least 18 years old.
2. Tenant Income Verification: Upon receipt of a complete pre-application, the property manager will schedule an interview to verify your household’s financial, rental, credit, and criminal history, which will include completing a Tenant Income Certification form, and full lease application. The Property Manager will screen the information that you provide in this interview. The fee for this screening is $75.00 per adult member of your household. (Must be paid with bank check or money order – no personal checks or cash accepted). However, you will be given the opportunity to address any extenuating circumstances that you believe should be taken into account during this process.
3. Artist Interview Committee: After your application has been preliminarily approved, you will be interviewed by the Artesan Lofts Interview Committee. You will need to present your portfolio and resume at the interview. The committee members will ask you questions about your commitment to the arts and your interest in becoming a resident of the Artesan Lofts. (A copy of the Artist Interview Questionnaire is below). To assist the committee, it also will review and use the artist questionnaire that you will have completed. The Artist Interview Committee screens applicants to determine participation in, and commitment to, the arts; the committee does not judge the content of an applicant’s artistic work. The artist preference is a permitted preference or a permitted screening criteria pursuant to HUD Handbook 4350.3 2-25, which is subject to federal, state or local preferences.

The Artist Interview Committee is drawn from local artists and community organizations as well as 1-2 members of the Property Management team. The process is friendly and informal, but we take it very seriously; we want residents of the Artesan Lofts to be committed artists and good neighbors, and we’re sure you’d want this too. The selection committee does not judge the content or quality of an applicant’s artistic work. 

For more details please contact Artesan Lofts online.

The questions are based on selection criteria and asked of every artist applicant. One is a demonstrated commitment to art. The second is a desire to live in and contribute to a community, both within the building and the broader Aurora community. The following are typical questions that are asked during the interview:      

1. Please describe your art form and what inspires you to create it.
2. Please tell us about your educational training and/or professional experience.
3. Please describe any recent public presentation of your art.
4. What interests you about living in this artists’ community?
5. What affect will living in an artists’ community have on you/(your family) and your art?
6. How will you respond to living in a community that is comprised of people of different races, cultural backgrounds, ability, artistic disciplines, sexual orientation, and beliefs?
7. What impact do you think you would have on the community? In what way might you contribute to the community?
8. Please describe any volunteer work you have done or would be interested in doing.

50,040The Artesan Lofts are made possible with financing that encourages affordable housing. As a result, the building units are restricted to residents who must fulfill certain income limitation requirements. If you are intending to qualify for an affordable unit, you will be required to provide detailed financial information. The gross annual income of the applicant family, adjusted for household size, must be less than or equal to 60% of area median income. Gross annual income shall be determined in accordance with Area Median Incomes as designated by the City of Aurora and HUD. The applicant must demonstrate a financial ability to pay his/her monthly rent. Property Management will verify the amount and source of the applicant’s income, assets, and expenses. The credit, criminal and eviction records of the applicant will be obtained through a credit reporting agency, (the service fees payable by the applicant).

Income Limits: The below income guidelines are set for all residents of affordable units. They reflect the current maximum amounts of household income for residents of affordable units and are updated on an annual basis. If your household income exceeds these guidelines, you are not eligible for residence in an affordable unit. It is not possible for us to modify these guidelines. The Artesan Lofts have the legal responsibility to ensure that all affordable unit residents conform to them at time of move-in. Based on your household size, your corresponding gross annual income must be below the following at the time of lease signing. The property manager will review your lease application materials and financially certify your income.

For more details please call us at 630-966-0602, or complete an application online.

Maximum Gross Income Limits

As of Sep 12, 2020

If an applicant is preliminarily approved and there are no available units, the applicant will be placed on a waiting list. Two waiting lists will be maintained for the property: one for working artist preference and artist applicants, and the other for non-preference and non-artist applicants. Applicants who complete and return the application materials but who are not contacted for an interview will receive a letter stating that they have been placed on the applicable waiting list and will be informed of their position on such list. Placement on a waiting list will be based on the order in which the completed applications are received by the property manager. If there are qualified preference applicants or qualified artist applicants on a waiting list, those persons will be given preference over any qualified non-preference or non-artist applicant. If there are no qualified preference applicants on a waiting list, applications of qualified non-artist applicants will be processed further on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants claiming a preference will be notified if they are placed on the non-preference waiting list.

Access our application online or call 630-270-1797 for more details. 

A. Credit Standing      

1. Eligible Artesan Lofts applicants must have a satisfactory history of meeting financial obligations, including timely payment of rent. Judgments or a history of late payment of bills or rent may be grounds for non-selection. If management rejects an application based on information in the credit report, the applicant will be provided with the reason(s) for the rejection and given the name of the credit reporting agency that performed the credit check.
2. In certain circumstances, management’s inability to verify sufficient credit references may be grounds for rejection of an application. Consideration will be given to special circumstances in which credit has not been established for some reason (income, age, marital status, etc.).

B. Information on the Application

1. If management is unable to verify certain information provided in the application, such as the applicant’s current address, social security number, or previous landlord information, or other qualifying information the applicant will not be approved.
2. If the application is not fully completed or contains false information, the applicant will not be approved.

C. Personal Reputation or History

1. Persons who have a history or reputation for disturbance of neighbors, destruction of property or living habits at prior residences which adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, or rights and comfort of other residents will not be approved for occupancy.
2. Persons who have failed to maintain a stable rental pattern may not be approved for residency. Several moves within a short period of time may indicate a lack of rental stability on the part of the applicant.

D. Drug Abuse and Criminal Activity

1. A household in which there is reasonable cause to believe that a member is currently engaged in the illegal use of drugs, and whose illegal use or pattern of illegal use of a drug may interfere with the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment of the property by other residents will be denied admission.
2. A household in which there is reasonable cause to believe that a member has engaged in criminal activity or has been convicted of criminal activity that will adversely affect the reputation of the development or the health, safety or welfare of other residents within the development, will be denied admission.

For more information about our application call 630-270-1797 or view our pre-application form online. 

The Artesan Artist Lofts will not discriminate against applicants or residents because of their disability or the disability of anyone associated with them and from treating persons with disabilities less favorably than others because of their disability. Four (4) units in the building are designed for persons with mobility impairments, as defined in ICC/ANSI 117.1-2003 Section 1002 Accessible Units, and one (1) unit in the building is designed for persons with sensory impairments as defined in ICC/ANSI 117.1-203 Section 1005 Sensory Impaired Units. Also, we will consider reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, dwellings and/or common areas when such accommodations may be necessary to afford person(s) with disabilities equal opportunity to use and fully enjoy a dwelling. Such requests will be considered on a case by case basis. Reasonable modifications made to dwellings, units and/or common areas will not be charged to the resident but will be borne by management.

Use our interactive floor plan map and check out the accommodations available in each of our units. 

Each artist member of your household will complete a questionnaire as well as submit a photo of themselves to help us to better understand your needs and expectations with regard to living in an artist live/ work community. Questions are as follows:

1. Please write an Artist Statement, briefly describing your art form, how long you have been creating, your inspiration and your goals.
2. Why are you interested in living and participating in this artist live/ work community? What are your expectations? What do you see as your responsibilities?
3. Have you ever lived in an artist housing situation before? If so, where and what was your main impression and/ or experience?
4. What is your artist training?

Begin the pre-application process online or call us at 630-270-1797 if you have additional questions.

• All residents at the Artesan Lofts will be provided with one parking pass to the City’s “Gold” parking lots / garages and will have unlimited access to these lots.
• If more than one parking pass is needed, additional passes can be purchased through the City of Aurora here.
• Please find a map to the Gold parking lots / garages here with the garage on the corner of Downer Place and Stolp Ave. being the closest; about a 2 minute walk to the Artesan Lofts.