On Monday night, Denver City Council heard deeply personal stories about a program that one speaker said saved his life.
"Without that heaven sent to come into my life and help me figure things out, I would not be here with you today. I'd probably be dead. I'm not even gonna lie to you. Like that's the impact this program makes in people's lives," Denver resident Patrick Self told the council.
The speaker was talking about TRUA the Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance program which helps families pay their rent who would otherwise be evicted from their homes.
Watch those city council comments in the video below: Denver's eviction crisis deepens as rental assistance funding faces dramatic cuts heading into 2027"TRUA didnt just help me pay my rent. It gave me the chance to rebuild my life and create a future I can look forward to," Denver resident Enrique del Castillo said.
Zach Neumann is the co-founder of the nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project. He told me the program's budget was nearly $30 million in 2023, dropping to $12 million last year with more cuts on the way.
"For next year, the proposed budget is less than $5 million," Neumann said. So, over the last four years, we've seen something like an 80%, 70% drop in funding for families that are at risk of eviction.
Neumann says rental assistance is the number one way to keep people in their homes. He's supporting City Council's request to Mayor Johnston to increase TRUA's total budget to $10 million in 2027.
"For families, it's a lifesaver. Oftentimes, when you receive emergency rental assistance, it's the only service you need. You don't need navigation. You don't need a lawyer because the landlord has been paid. Your debt is cleared, and you can just keep your housing," Neumann said.
He says the average cost of assistance is about $7,000 about a third the price it takes to get someone who has been evicted back into housing.
"The vast majority of our clients, you have two adults in a household. Let's say you probably have four jobs, but those four jobs don't pay enough for people to make rent, to make the car payment, to pay for food, to take care of their kids," Neumann said.
That's because, for so many, homelessness can happen when they least expect it.
"Homelessness doesn't just happen to other people. It can happen to someone who has worked their entire life, who has done everything they can to be responsible, and the worst circumstances change through no fault of their own," del Castillo told the council.
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