Poverty, Homelessness & Racial Equity

WHO WE ARE & WHY WE DO IT

HOW WE ACHIEVE OUR GOALS

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SWAP

Bridging the Digital Divide

The Bridging the Digital Divide is an innovative text message initiative designed to improve communication and access to vital resources for people experiencing housing instability in Adams County. Participants receive real-time updates on housing resources, emergency alerts, and critical services such as housing vouchers, employment opportunities, mental health support, and more. Subscribers can also send texts to request information about resources specific to their needs.

Built-for-Zero

Built-for-Zero is a national movement that uses a data and equity orientation to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time. Adams County has been a Built-for-Zero community since 2021 and is currently prioritizing ending veteran homelessness under the guidance of the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and Community Solutions.

Emergency Shelter 

The Poverty Reduction Unit funds the largest non-congregate shelter programs in Adams County including the Severe Weather Activation Program (SWAP), operated by Almost Home, and Pathways to Stability Program (PSP). SWAP provides extreme weather hotel vouchers for those screened by a navigator and PSP offers hotel-based bridge housing to those close to resolving their homelessness. In 2024, SWAP and PSP averted 15,400+ nights of unsheltered homelessness. To see if you are eligible for these programs, please contact your city’s homelessness navigator(s).

Employment Assistance for People Experiencing Homelessness

The Poverty Reduction Unit has created creative employment solutions for people experiencing homelessness by partnering with the Workforce and Business Center as well as Bridge House Ready to Work to provide meaningful, paid training and internship opportunities for people experiencing homelessness in Adams County. The Up & Adams program provides either an individualized or a community track to help provide upward mobility for our residents in need.

Homeward Adams

Homeward Adams serves as the homelessness reduction strategic framework for Adams County. The goal areas for the plan are Homelessness Prevention, Homelessness Services, and Strengthen the Housing Continuum. Click here to learn more about Homeward Adams.

Housing Mediation

Brothers Redevelopment offers no-cost tenant-landlord mediation sessions to Adams County residents. Our third-party mediator can help you communicate with your landlord or negotiate a payment plan. To schedule a mediation session call Colorado Housing Connects at 1.844.926.6632 and let them know you live in Adams County and would like “tenant-landlord mediation.”

Understanding Homelessness

This video series helps our residents and partners understand different aspects of homelessness including root causes, solutions, interaction with residents experiencing homelessness, and the Adams County Severe Weather Activation Program (SWAP).

Mobile Home Initiative

The Poverty Reduction Unit partners with the Colorado Poverty Law Project to provide legal services to mobile home residents in Adams County, including community “Know Your Rights” training under Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act. Click here to learn more about the Mobile Home Initiative.

Point-in-Time Count 

The Point in Time (PIT) Count is an annual effort to count every individual experiencing literal homelessness in Adams County on a single night. This count helps raise public awareness, collect important data, and secure funding for housing solutions. The Poverty Reduction Unit coordinates and resources our municipalities to conduct a high-quality PIT count. We also survey those in unincorporated areas of the county. If you would like to volunteer to survey, please email us.

Juntos Colorado

Juntos Colorado, a chapter of the Local Government Hispanic Network, is a professional development organization dedicated to developing local government employees to better serve our communities. As a proud member, Adams County champions this mission to cultivate leadership, learning, and connection. We invite local government employees of all backgrounds to engage with Juntos Colorado and take advantage of the opportunities for professional development and networking with other like-minded professionals across the state. To join Juntos Colorado click here. If your organization is already a member, connect with your point of contact to the organizational code to register.

Race Equity

Race Equity is essential in poverty and homelessness reduction work, especially in Adams County, a majority-minority community where systemic barriers have historically impacted communities of color. These inequities have led to a disproportionate overrepresentation of residents of color in poverty and housing instability. By focusing on racial equity, we strive to provide resources and programs that are accessible, equitable, and culturally relevant for the residents who need them the most.

Regional Coordination

The Lived Experience Committee, a small group of individuals who have formerly experienced homelessness in Adams or Jefferson Counties, meets quarterly to discuss and strategize on topics related to homelessness reduction and the housing continuum. If your organization is interested in consulting with the committee about issues in your area, please email us.

The Eviction Prevention Committee was formed in 2020 to align eviction prevention efforts throughout the North Denver Metro Area. The committee is comprised of 15+ municipal and nonprofit professionals as well as civil attorneys. Meetings are hosted virtually and quarterly. Please reach out if you have an interest in attending.

Safe Parking Program

Safe parking lots provide secure, regulated, and sanitary space for people living in their vehicles. All safe parkers in Adams County receive case management and have access to rehousing resources. Safe parking lots in Adams County were seeded by the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative and are independently run. If you would like to apply for safe parking, please email safeparking@c3gov.com.

Street Outreach

The Poverty Reduction Unit supports and connects unhoused community members with resources and services to help them reach their goals. Our Homelessness Resolution Team hosts drop-in hours every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crossroads Community Center on Huron St. where residents may receive their mail and resources such as food, hygiene kits, and survival gear. Weather dependent, Bayaud Enterprises also offers laundry and showers at the Crossroads Community Center every Thursday morning.

Transportation

The Poverty Reduction Unit provides several transportation programs to immediate needs residents of Adams County. Through the Transit Assistance Grant, we assist with local transit fares, and through Lyft Concierge we can provide a limited number of on-demand rides for vulnerable residents. We can also provide people experiencing unsheltered homelessness a one-way plane, train, or bus ticket with a resettlement gift card through the Long-Distance Travel program.

Learn More About Homelessness in the Denver Metro Area

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