Our Neighbors Across Colorado are in urgent need of housing help

Over the past several months, we have experienced an unprecedented surge in inquiries from individuals and families across the state who are seeking housing assistance. In August alone, our housing navigators received over 8,000 inquiries via our Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632) helpline. This surge is driven by various factors, including rising rents, inflation, and the end of pandemic-born supportive services.

Whether it’s a loved one, a neighbor, or a colleague, every one of us likely knows someone who is struggling with an issue of housing insecurity or instability.

Our team at Colorado Housing Connects, and throughout our agency, has been working tirelessly to respond to these inquiries and provide the vital support needed to administer financial assistance, prevent evictions, secure affordable housing options, and address tenant-landlord concerns.

Please direct anyone you know in need of assistance to our Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632) helpline, where they can speak to a housing navigator or counselor and find the assistance or referral they may need.

You can also direct them to our website, where they will find valuable resources, guidance, and information to help them navigate the complex landscape of housing issues in Colorado. Coloradans can also register for our free upcoming webinars, including affordable housing workshops that help individuals navigate affordable housing, and our eviction prevention workshops that are designed to teach renters their rights, steps they can take to avoid eviction, and more.

The scale of this challenge is immense, and we recognize that we cannot do it alone. That’s why we’re also requesting help from and consulting with our public and elected officials across the state. We need your help in maintaining capacity for Colorado Housing Connects, so that we may ensure that the resource will be available to everyone who needs it, wherever they live in the state.

Public and elected officials are encouraged to reach out to us, as we can share important information and updates, in real-time, about the housing challenges that residents living in specific communities or zip codes are facing. From there, we can work together to tailor solutions for communities and groups.

The surge has not gone unnoticed by news outlets. Several have reached out to us over the past week to learn more about the unprecedented number of inquiries we are managing and what it means for the region as winter approaches:

1. https://denverite.com/2023/09/27/spike-in-eviction-assistance-calls-leaves-housing-nonprofit-brothers-redevelopment-floored/

2. https://kdvr.com/news/local/colorado-housing-hotline-faces-historic-call-volume-as-eviction-crisis-rises/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR213AEuh6TY911qvCz9htEsL5tA9R-DTMRSvW81B09HDySU3qsSBrqAbY4

3. https://www.nbc11news.com/video/2023/09/26/colorado-assistance-housing-program-sees-uptick-people-seeking-help-2/

4. https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2023/09/25/brothers-redevelopment-colorado-housing-connects.html

More importantly, this heightened focus on the housing crisis demonstrates the critical role that Brothers Redevelopment, Colorado Housing Connects, and many other housing agencies in Colorado play as we work together to address the state’s most pressing housing challenges.

We believe that by working together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of Coloradans in need of housing assistance. Your continued support, referrals, and collaboration are invaluable to us, especially during these challenging times.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can strengthen our partnership further, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at jeff@brothersredevelopment.org.