Denver City Council allocates $2.85 million to aid homeless and immigrants

The Denver City Council on Monday unanimously approved three measures officials say will help homeless people and immigrants throughout the city, totaling $2.85 million. 

The first item was a $2 million resolution approved as a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The grant, part of the statewide Transformational Homelessness Response, will help connect homeless people with services, treatment and temporary and permanent housing throughout the city.

Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) is one of several benefactors from the statewide program. Others include the Denver Rescue Mission, Colorado Village Collaborative and Urban Peak Denver.

Other metro area recipients also include Aurora's Second Chance Center, the city of Lakewood and Jefferson County's Human Services. 

The second resolution added $350,000 to a contract with Michael's of Denver, bringing the new total to $1.35 million. The contract allows the purchase of meals for immigrants at city shelters. 

Another contract expansion worth $500,000 amended a purchase order with Colorado Hospitality Services. which also provide meals at immigrant shelters citywide, and added 90 days to the previously approved contract term.

In all, the city approved spending $835,000 to feed immigrants. 

The council also unanimously approved up to $269 million in general obligation bond spending. The 2017 Elevate Bond and the 2021 RISE Denver Bond were both approved by Denver voters. 

The bonds will fund parks and recreation projects, homeless shelter and pedestrian safety, among others. Thus far, almost 300 projects have been completed due to both bonds, according to a the city. Sixty-eight remain under construction and 81 more are in development. 

For more information, both the RISE Denver Bond and Elevate Bond have dedicated webpages.