Media Contact: Chynna Cowart
chynna.cowart@state.co.us | 303-656-7464
Informed by HB22-1304 and HB22-1377 (see Appendix 4), the Transformational Homelessness Response (THR) Grant Program aims to ensure everyone has a safe and stable place to live and thrive.
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), through the Division of Housing (DOH), recently awarded $33,075,614 in funding across twenty-one counties in Colorado.
Through the State Housing Board, which is composed of members chosen by the Governor and confirmed by the Colorado Senate, the Transformational Homelessness Response (THR) Grant Program awards were reviewed and recommended for funding.
Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program Awardees
All selected applications are transformational and will fundamentally shift the landscape of homelessness within the project’s community, region, and even the State, by transforming systems, programs, and outcomes while being responsive to the one-time nature of the funding provided.
The main objective of all programs that have been awarded funding and the initiatives put forth within those projects is to prevent or end participants’ homelessness as efficiently and effectively as possible.
The awardees are as follows:
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Impact of the Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program
Our nation’s homelessness crisis has worsened during the pandemic, as people experiencing homelessness are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 transmission, illness, and severity due to their use of congregate shelters and their high prevalence of underlying health conditions.
Colorado is no exception, as COVID-19 has been hitting low- and extremely low-income individuals and families who were already severely cost-burdened especially hard, increasing their risk of experiencing homelessness or inability to resolve their homelessness.
The Transformational Homelessness Response (THR) Grant Program seeks to build a future in which experiencing homelessness is uncommon, temporary when it does, and leaves no one behind. The Program accomplishes this goal by advancing and implementing tested solutions and program models that reduce homelessness in an all-encompassing and long-lasting manner by focusing on many of the fundamental needs that are essential for people to thrive: advance equity, enhance general wellbeing, connect to benefits and stable housing, and increase employable skills and experiences that enable people to meet their needs, pursue their ambitions, and become self-sufficient.
Some of these proven solutions include:
- Prevention and diversion: Programs that identify people at high risk of homelessness and provide supports that can help them to avoid it can help reduce the number of people entering homelessness.
- Coordinated entry systems: Standardized and coordinated systems of care over a given geographic area can help ensure that homelessness services are provided equitably, efficiently, and effectively.
- Street outreach: Street outreach programs can help to identify and help those who feel unsafe in, or are otherwise unable to come into traditional shelters.
- Rapid re-housing: Providing families and some individuals experiencing homelessness with steeply declining subsidies for market-rate rental housing can help resolve an immediate financial crisis.
- Anti-poverty supports: Programs that provide services, supports, and benefits help struggling households lead stable, productive, fulfilling, and dignified lives.
- Low-barrier shelters: Shelters without restrictive entry requirements help create spaces in which people can feel safe and connect with resources.
- Supportive housing: Supportive Housing combines affordable, community-based housing with access to voluntary wrap-around supportive services to help ensure safety and stability for extremely low-income households who face complex barriers and have long lengths of homelessness.
By expanding and implementing these tried-and-true solutions and program models, the Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program (THRGP) seeks to create a future in which homelessness is uncommon, fleeting when it does occur, and Coloradans experiencing homelessness are supported.
About the Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program
The Economic Recovery and Relief Task Force, the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force, Governor Polis' priority of keeping Coloradans housed, and the State of Colorado's Playbook on Making Homelessness History in Colorado served as the foundation for the Transformational Homeless Response Grant Program (THRGP).
In addition, the Division of Housing (DOH) launched a statewide public engagement process alongside Housing Colorado and the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) during the summer of 2022. These engagement sessions, as well as numerous other meetings with stakeholders around the state, provided ideas and feedback regarding the rollout and parameters of the new funding.
The next round of the Transformational Homelessness Response (THR) Grant Program will be awarded in mid-June, stay tuned and learn more about the Program here.