Title
Homelessness and American Rescue Plan Act Updates
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Summary & Background
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the City of Commerce City will receive a total of approximately $10.5 million from the federal government to support the community and provide significant aid to those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on Council direction, staff has pursued utilizing a large portion of those funds to provide support, resources, program, and a potential navigation center to the homeless community in Commerce City.
Purpose
Council has directed staff to utilize ARP funding to address homelessness in Commerce City. This presentation will update Council on homelessness initiatives, projects, and partnerships since Summer 2021. The presentation will then provide Council with an update on what actions staff has taken to effectively utilize the ARP funding to address homelessness, along with what action steps will be taken in Q1 and Q2 2022.
Homelessness
Since the Community Navigator- Homeless Outreach position presented to Council in the Summer 2021, there have been additional partnerships and projects that have been created.
ShowersForAll, Yahweh Health Clinic, and Colorado Safe Parking Initiative are actively working in collaboration with the Community Navigator with upcoming homelessness projects that provides services in Commerce City.
ShowersForAll will be providing mobile laundry and shower services hosted by ACCESS Housing once a month starting late January 2022. In partnership with the Yahweh Health Clinic, a volunteer outreach program was created to allow student volunteers from CU Anschutz to join on street outreaches twice a week. This volunteer program is currently active. Lastly, Colorado Safe Parking Initiative is planning to host a safe parking lot at Nativity Lutheran Church. This will be a car only lot with eligibility requirements for parkers who get referred. The lot is in discussion to open in March 2022.
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