Housing Assistance in Colorado
Having a safe and clean shelter is a basic need that is often to have particularly for low-income earning single mothers. The State of Colorado has a variety of resources to assist in avoiding homelessness and they are discussed in this article.
Emergency Housing Assistance
Aurora Warms the Night is an organization that assists families and individuals who are struggling to acquire shelter. The organization provides shelter as well as motel vouchers. http://www.aurorawarmsthenight.org/
Sunshine Home Share Colorado is a non-profit organization assisting people to use the extra space available in their homes to generate income, get help with basic household chores, reduce loneliness due to isolation, and assist in providing housing to someone in need of an affordable place. Initially, a screening and matching process is done. It is a client-driven process to ensure the best in-home matches possible. Every match is unique and is based on the needs and wants of the individuals taking part. The home providers and home seekers are at liberty to select the individual they want to reside with. https://www.sunshinehomeshare.org/our-process
The Hope House Colorado organization runs a Residential Program that affords not only a safe but a stable home for catering for teen moms as well as their children. This program is particularly for moms who are living in unsafe environments or those who have become homeless. They have a 12-bedroom home that offers the moms up to one week of relief care, and transitional housing for nine months. https://www.hopehousecolorado.org/our-program/
Rent Assistance
The Colorado Homeless Prevention Programs offers funds for emergency rental assistance, specifically for low-income households that are at risk of being evicted or losing their homes without some form of assistance. The state funds the housing program through some tax adjustments and credits. https://cdola.colorado.gov/homeless-prevention-activities-program
Utility Bill (Heating, Water, Electricity) Assistance
The Energy outreach Colorado program offers bill payment assistance to homes across Colorado who have overdue energy bills and are at risk of having home energy cut off. The payments are made straight to a local utility or fuel company. https://www.energyoutreach.org/programs-for-individuals/bill-payment-assistance/
The Colorado Homeless Prevention Activities is a program that financial assistance that caters for utility assistance and rental payments. The services are provided to families facing eviction or who are at risk of becoming homeless. The funds are paid directly to utility companies and landlords. Case management services as well as self-sufficiency programs are offered to recipient families and individuals who enroll to deal with the obstacles the household experiences in retaining housing. https://cdola.colorado.gov/homeless-prevention-activities-program
The Atmos Energy company conducts a program that can assist individuals to pay their gas and energy bills. The program is known as Sharing the Warmth. The funding goes straight to a non-profit, community action agency in the area to assist in paying natural gas bills for eligible customers. https://www.atmosenergy.com/community/sharing-warmth
Eviction Prevention and Legal Assistance
The Colorado mortgage assistance and foreclosure help programs can assist residents in Colorado paying their mortgage and they can also access foreclosure assistance. Services such as financial assistance, advice, and counseling are accessible in all cities including Denver and Colorado Springs. https://cdola.colorado.gov/eviction-foreclosure-protection
The Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) is one of the non-profit organizations in Colorado that aims to evade homelessness. They do this by offering legal representation as well as access to education on housing laws. The non-profit caters to low-income individuals faced with eviction and other housing issues. https://usalg.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ALG-CPLP-info.pdf
Charities and Churches Housing Assistance
The First Mennonite Church (FMC) conducts a Direct Assistance Program that offers rent and utility assistance to individuals who reside in the neighborhoods around the church. Their program helps an average of 450 families in a year. The First Mennonite Church helps the neighbors in Westside, Colorado in keeping their lights on and enabling them to stay in their homes. https://www.fmcdenver.org/help
Denver Rescue Mission is an organization that helps individuals facing homelessness who require basic human needs such as shelter, food, and safety. The organization offers emergency services such as meals and shelter, as well as more long-term solutions such as their rehabilitation and transitional programs. https://denverrescuemission.org/what-we-do/homelessness-in-denver/
Homeless Shelter Help- Prevention Homelessness (Transitional Housing)
The Family Promise of Colorado Springs is an organization that offers safe and comfortable rooms to the guest families for one week at the facilities provided by one of the member congregations participating in their housing program Known as Interfaith Hospitality Network. The volunteers provide three meals as well as evening hospitality to families in need, while they are at the facilities of the hosting congregation. https://www.ihn-cos.org/interfaith-hospitality-network
The Colorado Coalition for the homeless offers a Family Support Services program that assists by linking a family experiencing homelessness (particularly with children under 18 years of age) to housing services available. The Family Support Services Program makes the following services available:
- Emergency Shelter information as well as referrals
- Housing information
Homeowner/Buyer Grants and Assistance
The Colorado Homeownership Coalition is a non-profit organization that offers mortgage assistance programs to homeowners faced with a temporary disruption to their income to avoid delinquent mortgage payments and assist in ultimately resuming self-sufficiency. A family or individual experiencing unforeseen work layoff, expenses, or other disastrous events that can affect their ability to pay their mortgage, the Colorado Homeownership Coalition may assist. https://www.chchelps.org/get-help
The Grant application procedure for mortgage assistance is linked below.
https://www.chchelps.org/apply
The Colorado Community Land Trust (CCLT) is a non-profit organization that provides affordable homeownership opportunities for low-income individuals as well as families. The organization helps families to improve, navigate the home buying process, and finally attain the dream of homeownership. These resources are not only for the benefit of residents but they can also support local and regional economies. https://coloradoclt.org/do-i-qualify/
Home Improvement Grants
The Housing Rehabilitation loan program offers income-qualifying homeowners the opportunity of having low interest-rate loans to repair and maintain their homes. The main goal is for a homeowner to get a healthier, comfortable, and safe home to reside in for years to come. The program was started to fund crucial home repairs to improve structural deficiencies, health, safety, energy conservation, foundation repairs, roofing, as well as accessibility modifications, and many other health and safety requirements. https://www.hrwco.org/what_we_do/housing-rehabilitation/
The Brothers Redevelopment Organization provides low-income Commerce City residents Home Repair Programs (HRPs) such as:
- Minor Home Repair Program – caters for minor home repairs that do not exceed $7,500 per household
- Weatherization Program –caters for home energy-efficiency improvements
https://brothersredevelopment.org/help-for-homes-local-government-partnerships/
https://www.c3gov.com/government/community-development-block-grant-cdbg/cdbg-home-repair-programs
The resources highlighted in this article are only just a few of the Housing Assistance programs that are available in the State of Colorado. The links below provide more information on agencies that can assist in the search for a safe home for the family.
https://www.fox21news.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2020/04/Renters-Resources-AASC.pdf
