Chipotle May Join Denver’s Pilot Program for Affordable Housing

Plagued by a seemingly unending wave of bad publicity ranging from eColli outbreaks to massive data breaches and serious sales slumps, Colorado fast-casual pioneer Chipotle Mexican Grill seeks another way up: partnering with the City of Denver on a pilot program that could buy down rents on up to 400 market-rate apartments, the Denver Post reported.

The goal of the program is to create housing that is more affordable for working families in a city where rents have skyrocketed in the last several years. According to Mayor Michael Hancock, the company led by Steve Ells could be the first employer partner for the initiative. Many of the details, from the contribution of the chain to the way the program will be administered, remain to be determined but the gist is that fast-food workers within the company could become eligible for the housing in question as long as they fall within the program’s income ranges.