Applications now available for Denver's Temporary Rent and Utility Assistance Program
Some relief is now available to Denverites trying to make ends meet.
If you are struggling with rent you can now submit an application for the city's $29.1 million Temporary Rent and Utility Assistance program.
Residents who earn 80% or below of the area median income are eligible to get that help.
For people like Lynelle Dove, a single mom in Denver, who is struggling with the high cost of living in the city which made things difficult.
"I am kind of living paycheck to paycheck, unfortunately," said Dove.
Last year, she got laid off and was unemployed for a few months. She is just now trying to get back on her feet.
"With the prices going up and me having a new job, I am not getting paid what I used to get paid. So, I am just trying to keep my head above water at this point," said Dove.
Dove is not alone in this struggle, there are thousands in the city dealing with this predicament.
Though Dove is not facing an eviction, Melissa Mejia with the Community Economic Defense Project represents people just like her.
"The stakes could not be higher for people like our clients," said Mejia.
She adds this is because many of her clients face several challenges.
"We represent families like single households, families who are facing evictions for reasons like a kid gets sick, the parent has to care of them, and then they get sick, they can't make work, and if there is not a program available that family is facing eviction or first-time homelessness," said Mejia.
Patrick Noonan, program director for Colorado Housing Connects says they are seeing a 34% jump in volume compared to December 2023, and the year just began.
"2023 saw a huge demand, we had almost 80,000 inquiries in the last year and 2024 is already off to a hot start," said Noonan.
Last year, Denver ran out of funds with their rental assistance programs before the end of the year.
"In December, we saw the year rounded out to over 13,000 eviction filings in the City and County of Denver more than any other year going all the way to 2008," added Noonan.
According to the Department of Housing Stability, one in three households is paying more than a third of their income toward housing.
The historic number of people facing housing instability is not slowing down. The application is now open.
"Our expectation is that 2024, we will see the same level of evictions if not more, at least filings and our goal is to intervene in many of those possible in order to keep people housed," said Mejia.
People like Dove are just grateful to have a place.
"I am just thankful that we still have a roof over our head at this point," said Dove.
To be eligible, you must live in Denver or have been displaced from the city in the past 90 days, have an income at or below 80% of the area median income and be experiencing an unexpected financial hardship or housing crisis.
TRUA is the primary rental assistance program offered by the City and County of Denver, but there is also limited emergency assistance offered by Denver Human Services.
Applicants do not have to be facing an eviction to apply as the city recommends to act early when facing financial hardship in order to avoid possible eviction.
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