Public input sought on yearly action plan that supports Department of Housing Stability’s Five-Year Strategic Plan

DENVER – Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 – Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) today issued a draft review version of its 2023 Action Plan. The action plan outlines specific work informed by the HOST Five-Year Strategic Plan, the city’s comprehensive housing and homelessness resolution strategy. 

The 2023 Action Plan in English and Spanish is available for comment through Wednesday, Oct. 26. Feedback and suggestions on the plan can be submitted via a community survey.

A virtual public meeting addressing the plan will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18. HOST staff will overview key elements of the action plan and provide an opportunity for individuals to provide feedback.

“When it comes to advancing affordability and resolving episodes of homelessness, we know what works and we’re committed to doing more of it,” said HOST Executive Director Britta Fisher. “This draft plan maps out an ambitious year ahead to build a healthy, housed and connected Denver. We welcome the community’s input to further shape this planning effort.”

The Action Plan describes HOST’s priorities for the coming year and how the department will use the resources proposed in the Mayor’s budget. Priorities include:

• Create and preserve more than 1,700 affordable homes through HOST’s investment in the affordable housing pipeline, strategic acquisition of hotels, and successful implementation of the new Mandatory Affordable Housing ordinance
• Expand pathways to homeownership, including by leveraging American Rescue Plan Act funds to scale up down payment assistance programs for households impacted by historic practices like redlining and support more development of affordable for-sale homes
• Serve more than 8,000 households with housing stability programs, including more than 1,700 in eviction legal defense programs and 250 in a new foreclosure prevention and legal assistance program
• Serve more than 2,500 households experiencing homelessness in rehousing and supportive housing programs, and house more than 1,700 households through all of HOST’s Homelessness Resolution investments
• Address unsheltered homelessness by implementing encampment decommissioning strategies to help at least 100 households per year experiencing unsheltered homelessness connect to stability through housing navigation and other services, and by continuing to support safe outdoor space and safe parking programs
• Improve the homelessness resolution system for families through investment in hotel options for families in need of shelter, expanding housing-focused case management for those families, and expanding supportive housing for families
• Commission a disparity study to document racial disparities and discrimination in housing in Denver and propose solutions that advance equity
• Release a new publicly available financial dashboard providing transparency to how HOST uses its resources
• Expand functionality and use of HOST data systems to support more efficient electronic contracting and invoicing processes and tracking
• Prepare to implement the Affordable Housing Prioritization Policy, including the development of a data system to improve access to affordable housing citywide and help match residents with available affordable housing options