As of September, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Division of Housing (DOH) has paid over $168 million in pandemic-related emergency rental assistance, and this summer issued a $50 million notice of funding available for the acquisition of land and buildings for affordable housing in addition to approving $29.5 million in developments and rehabilitation.
“Our mission to keep Coloradans safely and stably housed through the pandemic is an enormous undertaking, and we strive to become more efficient in our processes every single day.” said Housing Director Alison George. “However, our efforts don’t slow down when COVID does. There are still plenty of people in need and there are resources that can help.”
DOH has significantly increased the speed of emergency rental assistance payments by using Bill.com to pay out around $6 million per week, which dwarfs payments previously made for entire months. The division has also administered substantial aid through its partnerships with localities, completing all disbursement of rental assistance funds for Aurora, and more than two-thirds for Colorado Springs.
July through September, the Colorado State Housing Board (SHB) in DOH approved $29.5 million in various development and rehabilitation projects for affordable housing for Coloradans with incomes between 30 and 80 percent of their area median incomes (AMI) across the state.
The DOH Office of Housing Finance and Sustainability (OHFS) and Office of Homeless Initiatives (OHI) are requesting applications totaling up to $50 million in funding for the acquisition of land or use of existing properties suitable for providing non-congregate shelters, supportive housing and affordable housing. Some of the funds are available for tenancy support services or to shelter households that are at risk of, or who may already be experiencing homelessness.
“The Division of Housing has worked hard to build systems and procedures to assist those who are at risk for housing instability,” George added. “With this wide variety of resources, we hope to give every Coloradan the chance to stay housed through the pandemic and beyond.”
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Division of Housing (DOH) partners with local communities to create housing opportunities for Coloradans who face the greatest challenges to accessing affordable, safe and secure homes. Learn more at cdola.colorado.gov/housing