What is the City and County of Denver doing to support jobs that pay a living wage?
The City and County of Denver regularly posts jobs online at https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Job-Center. Many open positions pay a competitive wage and value lived experience from potential candidates.
Do shelters accommodate guests with special needs?
If you or someone you know is in housing crisis and needs shelter urgently, please refer them to “front door” facilities, which offer both walk-up access and can refer (and sometimes transport) to other shelters as appropriate. You can find this information at denvergov.org/findshelter.
The City of Denver has endeavored to offer a range of alternatives to traditional congregate shelters. The alternatives include options for couples, people with pets, transgender individuals, people with health and disabling conditions, people who are recovering from COVID, families, people living in a vehicle, and other extenuating circumstances. These programs are limited and have waiting lists and are NOT walk-up accessible. To access these programs, please work with an outreach worker or case manager at one of the “front door” shelters or a day center for a referral.
What is the process for getting a housing voucher?
The Denver Housing Authority (separate from the City & County of Denver) manages Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs). The HCV program opens a lottery once a year. This year the 2024 Lottery Opening begins on Thursday, September 21, 2023 (beginning at 12:01 am) through Friday, September 22, 2023 (ending at 11:59 pm). There is no preparing ahead of time. There is no application to complete. When the lottery opens, it is an online entry located on the home page of the website – denverhousing.org.
Once the lottery closes, DHA will begin with an automated/random drawing throughout the following year. Lottery numbers do not carry over from year to year. Please be patient, for example, based on budget projections, each lottery applicant has a roughly 6% chance of having their application pulled.
How do I voice a complaint with DHA, such as bad landlord and/or predatory practices and high application fees?
DHA can be reached at 720-932-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
How do I complain about bad shelter practices?
All shelter providers are required to post posters throughout their facilities with instructions on how to report discrimination toward guests or employees to the Office of Human Rights and Community Partnerships.
Complaints of possible violations may be filed with Denver's Anti-Discrimination Office, Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships via the following methods:
In-person: 201 West Colfax Avenue, Dept. 1102 Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (720) 913-8458
Video Phone (303) 327-9902
Email: dado@denvergov.org
Other concerns should be reported to the shelter operator’s management onsite. Crimes should always be reported to the Denver Police Department. We are additionally forming a working group to better address these concerns in the future.
How do we report concerns with law enforcement?
Complaints against DPD or the Denver Sheriff’s Office sworn staff can be made through the Office of the Independent Monitor (OIM) by calling (720) 913-3306 or at their website (https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Office-of-the-Independent-Monitor/Commendations-and-Complaints).
All complaints are assigned a case number by the OIM and forwarded to the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Denver Police and/or Sheriff Department to be assigned to a sergeant for review. The OIM monitors the entire Internal Affairs process to ensure that it is handled in a reasonable and appropriate manner.
Make sure to document the details of the incident, including dates, times, locations, and any involved officers' badge numbers or names. It's essential to provide as much information as possible when filing a complaint. Please note that it is very difficult to conduct a quality investigation when complaints are not filed in a timely manner. Complainants are strongly encouraged to file their complaints within 60 days when possible.
What are some innovative housing solutions that the City and County of Denver is implementing or considering?
The Denver Department of Housing Stability is working to implement many innovative new affordable housing opportunities. Our Five-Year Strategic Plan goes over many of our strategies: you can find it at denvergov.org/housingfiveyearplan. Among them, HOST intends to achieve the following by 2026:
Housing Stability
- Reduce the number of evictions filed by 25% from 8,800 to 6,600 annually.
- Support advancement of prioritization policy to allow residents at risk of or who have been displaced priority access to new affordable housing.
- Benchmark other key measures such as foreclosures among income-restricted units and household mobility in 2022 to establish targets over the remaining plan period.
Homelessness Resolution
- Reduce unsheltered homelessness from 2022 Point In Time Count to 2026 Point In Time Count by 50%
- Increase the contract benchmark for the percentage of sheltered households who exit to housing from 30% to 40%
- Increase the annual number of households served in rehousing and supportive housing programs from 1,800 to 3,000.
- Measurably end veteran homelessness by achieving functional zero by 2026, i.e., placing at least as many veterans into permanent housing each month as there are veterans experiencing homelessness by achieving functional zero by 2026, i.e., placing at least as many veterans into permanent housing each month as there are veterans experiencing homelessness.
- Reduce the average length of time residents experience homelessness to 90 days.
- Increase the number of family households who exit shelter and outreach programs to housing from 25% to 50%.
Housing Opportunity
- Increase the portion of total homes in Denver that are income restricted from 7% to 8% through the creation and preservation of 7,000 ownership and rental homes, including the creation of 900 supportive housing apartments.
- Reduce the rate of housing cost-burden among low- and moderate-income households from 59% to 51%.
- Preserve at least 950 apartments in income-restricted rental properties and for-sale homes.
- Increase the homeownership rate among low- and moderate-income households from 36% to 41% and the homeownership rate among BIPOC households across income levels from 41% to 45%.
Additional Information
For shelter information, visit denvergov.org/findshelter. This includes “front door” and day shelters, as well as information about severe weather overflow shelter policies and alternative shelter access.
For rent and utility assistance and eviction legal defense, visit denvergov.org/renthelp.
For more information on what the City & County are doing to produce more affordable housing, visit denvergov.org/housing. For information on Housing Choice Vouchers, visit denverhousing.org.