Colorado

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

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The Denver Rescue Mission had to consolidate 3 large shelters down to just 2 because of staffing and supplies. These two overnight shelters then had to temporarily close on April 9. The city has leased additional hotel rooms for people with symptoms and provided 600 beds at the National Western complex to provide additional shelter.

In Pitkin County, the area homeless shelter located at a church in Aspen stopped accepting new clients in mid-March.

The Denver Finance and Governance Committee moved a resolution on May 24 extending the city’s use of 140 rooms at a hotel for high-risk people experiencing homelessness to the full council for approval. The city began providing shelter at the start of the pandemic, and given the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, the city hopes to continue providing shelters to unhoused individuals. The resolution will extend the Emergency Occupancy Agreement with the hotel for an additional six months through the end of 2022.

Updated June 14, 2022

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Denver courts saw 771 eviction filings in March 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. So far this year, 1,860 Denver households have been taken to court, and many tenants who receive eviction notices move out long before landlords take them to court. Zach Neumann of the Colorado Eviction Defense Project says the current eviction numbers are unnerving, partly because both Denver and Colorado still have historic levels of rental assistance available.

Updated May 23, 2022

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Neighbor to Neighbor, a nonprofit housing service provider in Larimer County, has prevented over 6,000 evictions, helped over 400 households with rental housing move-in costs, and provided utility assistance to over 600 households during the pandemic. The program will now distribute a portion of Colorado’s allocation of the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund.

Updated on December 13, 2021

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The Colorado Newsline reports that members of a state subpanel tasked with recommending ways to spend $400 million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for affordable housing are struggling with the time crunch and ideological differences. The subpanel is comprised of 15 people from organizations ranging from a landlord association to a nonprofit that serves people experiencing homelessness.

Updated on October 19, 2021

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A spokesperson for Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) released a list of solutions to improve the state’s COVID-19 emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. DOLA will partner with the Colorado Department of Human Services to automatically income-qualify applicants who have qualified for other state programs, partner with local organizations and nonprofits, and develop a plan to contract with case managers who can provide one-on-support for tenants.

As evictions restart in Colorado Springs, $20 million in emergency rental assistance (ERA) is available to residents in need of aid. The Community Health Partnership, the administering agency for the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, says there has been an increase from last year in the number of people experiencing homelessness who have completed housing needs assessments.

Updated on September 21, 2021

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The Denver Post reports Governor Jared Polis on September 4 extended an executive order to provide Coloradoans 30 days (rather than 10 days) to pay back rent if they have a pending emergency rental assistance application. The order also returns over $16 million from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment back to the Disaster Emergency Fund.

Updated on September 14, 2021

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Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order on July 30 that requires landlords to provide tenants with 30 days’ notice before evicting them due to nonpayment of rent. During that period, tenants can halt the eviction by showing proof they have applied for rental assistance. The order went into effect on August 1. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

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While Colorado distributed $11.4 million in emergency rental assistance (ERA) in June, thousands of households that have been approved are still awaiting payments. A coalition of housing advocates, elected officials, and organizations sent a letter to Governor Jared Polis on July 26 urging him to slow the eviction process for people who have been approved for ERA but are waiting for the payment.
Updated on August 3, 2021

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Housing experts are concerned about a potential wave of evictions across Colorado when state and federal moratoriums expire in several weeks. A Colorado Newsline report shows that as of April 26, more than 7,500 evictions have been filed in Colorado since the start of 2021.

Axios reports on Colorado’s efforts to use underutilized hotels to house people experiencing homelessness. Democratic state lawmakers advanced a bill that would allocate $15 million to local governments and nonprofits to lease, purchase, and renovate hotels and motels for people experiencing homelessness.
Updated on June 4, 2021

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The Housing Division of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs saw more rental assistance requests in January than in all of 2020. The department oversees two rental assistance programs – the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) and the Property Owner Preservation program (POP). Visit the state’s pandemic relief housing program data dashboard to see the requests made of, and payments made by, these programs. The dashboard will be updated weekly on Mondays.

9 News reports that while documented evictions in Colorado courts are low due to eviction moratoriums and rental assistance, there are likely thousands of “hidden” or “informal” evictions taking place. The state has seen a surge in rental assistance applications, indicating a potential looming eviction crisis. In January alone, Colorado renters and landlords applied for $52 million in rent relief. A report from the governor’s eviction prevention task force indicates between 150,000 and 230,000 Colorado households are at risk for eviction, with Black Coloradans 6.6 times more likely to be behind on rent than white renters.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will begin leasing apartments at a 139 micro-apartment complex to house individuals experiencing homelessness. The complex is a former Quality Inn & Suites, which the Coalition purchased for $8.4 million and converted into the micro-apartment complex in record time.

Updated on February 17, 2021

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Colorado Housing Connects, a statewide housing hotline that connects Coloradans to housing counseling and legal services, reports that its call volume has doubled since September. The hotline has received an average of 1,166 inquiries per week so far in January, compared to an average of 563 inquiries per week in September.

The pandemic has significantly increased pressure on Colorado Springs’ agencies to provide shelter, food, and other critical resources.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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Members of the Colorado Special Eviction Task Force sent a letter to Governor Jared Polis urging him to extend the eviction moratorium and suspension of late fees through at least January.

The Colorado Sun reports that some landlords are refusing to participate in state rental assistance programs for various reasons, preventing struggling renters from accessing the assistance needed to remain in their homes when eviction moratoriums lift.

Updated on January 15, 2021

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The Denver Post reports on advocates’ concerns that Colorado will experience an increase in homelessness this upcoming winter as COVID-19 cases rise and eviction protections are due to expire. “When the federal moratorium lifts, I think we’re going to see a huge wave of evictions,” said Cathy Alderman of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “It’s going to be a flood of people entering homelessness.”

Updated on December 12, 2020

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Dozens of families who were living at a Ramada Inn in Englewood are now facing homelessness after the hotel announced it is permanently closing. 

Updated on November 30, 2020

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The Colorado Sun examines how eviction moratoriums and rental assistance have been effective policy solutions to keep Coloradoans stably housed during the pandemic and economic fallout. Colorado’s Division of Housing in the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has used federal CARES Act funds to support tenants and landlords. “Housing insecurity has become one of the most concerning byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said DOLA Executive Director Rick Garcia. 

Updated on November 10, 2020

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The Colorado Division of Housing (DOH) has updated the Landlords’ Model Notification of Eviction Prevention Orders to reflect the protections under the CDC eviction moratorium and the new state protections under Executive Order 227. The DOH also updated its FAQs for Tenants and Landlords. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

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Governor Jared Polis on October 21 signed an executive order reinstating the statewide eviction moratorium less than one week after he banned late fees for Colorado renters through the end of the year. The executive orders follow the release of a report by the Special Eviction Prevention Task Force.

Updated on October 26, 2020

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According to state estimates, 70,000 more Colorado households will be severely rent-burdened in the coming months. The greatest need for housing assistance is likely to come in early 2021.

Updated on October 14, 2020

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CPR examines how the CDC moratorium has slowed but not stopped evictions in Colorado. Elena Wilken, executive director of Housing Colorado, calls attention to inconsistencies in how counties are interpreting both state and federal eviction orders.

Updated on October 5, 2020

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Advocates, including the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, who have been frustrated by the failure of elected officials and service providers to build a regional effort to address homelessness hope the pandemic may force Colorado to change its approach.

Updated on September 29, 2020

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While the CDC eviction moratorium will help millions of people, the federal order is too little, too late for some Coloradans. Housing advocates, including Elena Wilken of Housing Colorado, are concerned that without rental assistance, the eviction moratorium is merely delaying, not preventing mass evictions. 

The program manager for the Denver Public Schools Homeless Education Network reports a significant increase in student homelessness. There are fears that students and families facing homelessness are slipping through the cracks and not receiving needed resources since schools are operating remotely.  

The Coloradoan provides an overview of the new federal eviction moratorium. The federal order accompanies local efforts to prevent evictions in Fort Collins and Larimer Court. Several Fort Collins’ City Council members, for example, are considering a prospective program that would provide legal assistance for renters facing possible eviction. 

Updated on September 15, 2020

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The Colorado Department of Local Affairs - Division of Housing and Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. are launching the Housing Counseling and Assistance Program (HCAP). An expansion of the existing Colorado Housing Connects program, HCAP will provide residents with access to free eviction and foreclosure prevention legal services. 

Updated on September 10, 2020

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Colorado has seen a sharp acceleration in court filings for evictions: more than 1,200 removals throughout July, and nearly 300 more in the first week of August.

Governor Jared Polis announced on August 26 a new temporary task force within the Department of Local Affairs to examine housing instability due to COVID-19 in Colorado. The announcement of the Special Evictions Prevention Task Force met criticism from housing advocates who have urged Governor Polis to reinstate an eviction moratorium and ban on rental late fees. Additionally, an attorney with the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project noted that the task force’s 10-person roster didn’t represent renters, including advocates who specialize in eviction defense.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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The Colorado Springs Indy reports that without significant federal intervention, 25 to 36% of Colorado households are at risk of eviction. A U.S. Census Bureau survey found in mid-July that 14.8% of residents had no confidence in their ability to pay rent. Research indicates that Colorado’s COVID-19-related housing crisis is disproportionately impacting women and people of color.

Funding from the CARES Act has helped organizations move veterans experiencing homelessness in Colorado Springs to non-congregate settings. Rocky Mountain Human Services is providing funding for 317 veterans experiencing homelessness to temporarily live in motels across Colorado, with the goal to move the veterans into permanent housing.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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Between 436,000 and 596,000 people in Colorado — or 25%-36% of renters in the state — could be at risk of eviction by the end of the year, according to a new analysis. Governor Jared Polis extended his emergency executive order on evictions on August 11, requiring landlords to provide tenants 30 days’ notice before pursuing evictions, instead of the typical 10 days. The measure, however, does not ban evictions.

When briefing the Denver City Council, the head of Denver’s housing department reported that the city needs more shelter beds to support people experiencing homelessness in the coming months and years. Homelessness was increasing in Denver before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has added to the number of people on the streets while also forcing shelters to decrease their capacity. 

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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The Durango Herald discusses the urgent need for Congress to pass a package that includes emergency rental assistance to prevent a wave of evictions. The article mentioned NLIHC’s criticism of the Republican proposal, citing Diane Yentel’s statement that the proposal would do next to nothing to avoid this predictable and preventable disaster. 

The Boulder Weekly reports that the Princeton University Eviction Lab predicts that without further statewide action and support, Colorado could see a surge of evictions in the coming weeks or months.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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Governor Jared Polis allowed Colorado’s temporary eviction ban to expire. Since July 1, the Denver Sheriff Department has received 139 eviction orders from the court, and about 65 of those have been carried out so far.

Colorado State Patrol troopers, Denver police, and other city workers swept a large encampment out of Lincoln Park on July 29. The sweep occurred less than a week after the city permitted the Colorado State Patrol to enforce several ordinances, including the urban camping ban, on state property in Denver. The encampment in Lincoln Park is one of several around Denver that have grown during the pandemic, and an estimated 1,350 people are now camped out in the city.

The Denver Post spoke with Colorado tenants facing eviction as federal unemployment benefits ended, unemployment is at near-record levels, and Governor Jared Polis let the state eviction moratorium lapse. 

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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Housing and homelessness advocates in Colorado are warning that homelessness will rise unless Congress acts. Cathy Alderman of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, discussed why preventing mass evictions should be a public health priority. 

Last month, about 12% of Colorado renters and 4.5% of homeowners said that they had missed their housing payment.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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A rise in homelessness as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has already begun in Colorado. Landlords have filed more than 800 eviction cases since June 1, and the pace is likely to increase rapidly. When urged by housing advocates to renew the statewide eviction moratorium, Governor Jared Polis has responded that he needs to balance the needs of property owners with those of tenants.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

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Governor Jared Polis allowed the statewide eviction ban to lapse in June, and Denver Public Safety Director Murphy Robinson signed an order on July 1 that allows law enforcement in Denver to carry out evictions. Hours before Colorado’s eviction moratorium expired, Governor Polis issued an executive order on June 13 that delayed legal proceedings against tenants for another month. Under the June 13 executive order, landlords were permitted to resume posting notices demanding payment, but those notices must provide tenants 30 days to pay their back rent - meaning that many landlords could begin filing eviction claims on July 14.

A commentary in Colorado Newsline argues that Governor Jared Polis and Democratic leaders are failing to protect communities from homelessness amid the pandemic. Governor Polis allowed the state’s eviction moratorium to expire on June 13, placing thousands of Coloradans at risk of eviction and homelessness.

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock announced on July 1 his support for two proposals to support and serve people experiencing homelessness: the establishment of temporary, managed campsites and the creation of a new dedicated funding source.

Updated on July 13, 2020.

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A commentary in Colorado Newsline argues that Governor Jared Polis and Democratic leaders are failing to protect communities from homelessness amid the pandemic. Governor Polis allowed the state’s eviction moratorium to expire on June 13, placing thousands of Coloradans at risk of eviction and homelessness.

Testing at nine Denver shelters in late May and early June revealed that between six and seven percent of people experiencing homelessness tested positive for the coronavirus. While this rate is higher than the positive rate of the overall population in Denver, the results are much lower than those from earlier tests. Cathy Alderman of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, said that these results prove the effectiveness of raising awareness about COVID-19 and ensuring that people who are medically-vulnerable or test positive for the coronavirus are separated from others experiencing homelessness.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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The Greeley Tribune discusses the disagreements between tenant and landlord groups about the best way to move forward after Governor Jared Polis’ most recent and more limited order to delay evictions expires July 13. “Right now, we are thinking 300,000 to 400,000 people face eviction risk in Colorado,” said Executive Director and Co-Founder of the COVID Eviction Defense Project Zach Neumann.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

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Housing and homelessness advocates in Connecticut are working to find permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness as the temporary housing acquired due to the pandemic are set to expire at the end of June. The goal is to find permanent housing for 1,000 people in the next 120 days.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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Cathy Alderman of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, wrote a Letter to the Editor in the Sentinel Colorado, urging Congress to provide emergency rental assistance to keep Coloradans safe and stably housed.

While every state in the Mountain West has some type of rental assistance program in place, housing advocates hope that these programs receive funding to keep up with the ongoing need. Rental assistance is needed to keep people stably housed amid the economic fallout of COVID-19.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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Aurora will begin providing rental assistance to eligible tenants who have been impacted by the pandemic. The rental assistance program will offer up to two months of payments directly to landlords and property managers. At least $620,000 will be available initially, and the funds will come from the House Aurora Partnership and block grants. 

Colorado announced the recipients of a third round of funds from the Colorado COVID Relief Fund. A committee who advises the fund tracks the most pressing community needs found that requests for rental assistance and food comprise 40% of calls to the state’s resource hotline. 

Colorado affordable housing advocates proposed a plan to Governor Jared Polis and other state officials that could potentially prevent a wave of evictions and homelessness when the statewide moratorium expires on May 31. The plan calls for more than $196.5 million in direct rental assistance and additional housing resources.

Kaiser Permanent and Denver County announced a $1 million contribution to support Denver’s Housing and Homeless Services Fund. This fund will be used for coronavirus suppression efforts, including isolation/quarantine of individuals experiencing homelessness, expanded testing, contract tracing, and cleaning and hygiene supplies.

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Colorado community health centers are going mobile and expanding their telehealth services to better support people experiencing homelessness. Peak Vista Community Health Centers established a new specialty clinic in Colorado Springs, making it easier to provide medical and behavioral care services to people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, has provided most of the coronavirus testing for people experiencing homelessness in Denver. The coalition screened 52 men and women experiencing homelessness, and of the 45 who showed no symptoms, 12, or 26%, tested positive for the virus. Two of the seven people who showed symptoms tested positive. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless used the results of its pilot study to urge the state for additional resources.

The Denver Department of Public Works cleaned several homeless encampments on May 7. City crews moved the belongings of people staying in the encampments into a nearby parking lot, picked up trash, and power washed the sidewalk. The city allowed people to return to the areas because of the CDC’s guidance to refrain from sweeping encampments during the pandemic.

Colorado awarded a total of $3 million to 20 organizations to provide short-term rental and mortgage assistance for low-income families. Nonprofits across the state expect the funds to be spent quickly. Governor Jared Polis established the $3 million fund in a March 20 executive order to ensure that Colorado residents did not lose housing due to the pandemic.

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Colorado Governor Jared Polis has only issued guidance to limit evictions, rather than enacting a statewide eviction moratorium. With courts and local governments left to make decisions on evictions, thousands of Colorado renters are facing uncertainty and fear about the possibility of being evicted.

COVID-19 is creating opportunities for novel legal strategies for challenging cities and states to ensure that all residents have access to safe housing. An attorney representing advocacy groups and two people experiencing homelessness is arguing that Colorado should provide safe housing for people experiencing homelessness, citing the existence of an equal protection violation since housed residents are better able to obey the state’s stay-at-home order.

Denver

The Denverite reports that the city and service providers are developing innovative ideas to house individuals experiencing homelessness, but families experiencing homelessness in Denver are left behind.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

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Denver is expanding coronavirus testing among people experiencing homelessness. A spokeswoman for the city announced on May15 that 299 people experiencing homelessness in Denver have tested positive for the coronavirus, and six of those individuals who tested positive have died.

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City workers swept a large homeless encampment in Denver on April 30. A spokeswoman for the city stated that the sweep was prompted by concern that the area was becoming “increasingly hazardous.”

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More than 250 Colorado National Guard members are helping the city and county of Denver to shelter people experiencing homelessness.

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is implementing COVID-19 testing at one of its health centers in Denver.

Denver is seeking National Guard assistance in expanding and staffing homeless shelters amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Denver’s homeless shelters, residents find it impossible to stay six feet apart from one another. To address this issue, Denver started bussing homeless men out of cramped shelters to a temporary facility where up to 600 individuals will sleep on cots spaced at least six-feet by 10-feet apart. 

Article Title	Link
LETTERS: Congress must provide emergency rental assistance to protect Coloradans during Pandemic	Sentinel Colorado
Michael Bennet: Coronavirus and a housing crisis go hand in hand. Congress must act.	The Colorado Sun
Email Letters: June 3, 2020	The Daily Sentinel

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

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Colorado has seen a sharp acceleration in court filings for evictions: more than 1,200 removals throughout July, and nearly 300 more in the first week of August. This is significantly up from the earlier months of the pandemic when the courts were all but frozen. The Colorado Springs Indy reports that in Colorado, a United States Census Bureau survey meant to measure the impact of the pandemic, found in mid-July that 14.8 percent of state residents had no confidence in their ability to pay rent. The impacts of the housing crisis are disproportionately impacting women and people of color. In Colorado, 3 percent of white people weren’t confident they could pay rent compared to more than 27 percent of Latino people and 8.9 percent of Black people, according to the last week of the Census survey. Five times as many women than men responded that they had no confidence in their ability to pay rent, and almost 50 percent of respondents reported a loss in employment income, the survey found.

Updated on August 28, 2020.

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Between 436,000 and 596,000 people in Colorado — or 25%-36% of renters in the state — could be at risk of eviction by the end of the year, according to a new analysis. Colorado landlords must continue to provide renters some grace as the state continues to weather the coronavirus pandemic, as Gov. Jared Polis extended his emergency executive order on evictions Monday.

Updated: August 12

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Eviction cases have resumed both remotely and in person. When the eviction moratorium expired, the Governor issued a new executive order mandating that landlords could not file evictions without giving tenants a 30 day notice through Aug. 11 (a protection the NHLP argues is now permanent federal law due to the CARES Act). The previous notice period in Colorado was 10 days. Governor also asked the Department of Local Affairs work with landlords to institute repayment plans. 

Updated: August 1

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In the third week of July, one in five adults in Colorado reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 127,974 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

Housing advocates are reporting that COVID-19 related homelessness has already hit the state. More than 800 eviction cases have been filed since June 1. 

Denver

Homeless shelters in Denver are logging about 1,700 visitors per night, more than they would during the coldest nights of the year.

July 13

Updated: July 29

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400,000 Coloradans are at risk of evictions. After allowing their eviction moratorium to expire in June, Governor Polis released an executive order to require a 30 day notice before eviction, which legal aid experts claim will only delay the inevitable. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 1 in 5 adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

Updated: July 16