As one city in Colorado shutters some of its migrant shelters, the city is seeking help from local property owners to rent to migrants.
In early February, the city of Denver removed 140 families from migrant shelters to save $60 million for its budget.
Later that month, Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced the closure of four shelters.
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According to KDVR, the city recently emailed property owners to inquire if they would be willing to rent to migrants.
“We put out a feeler to all the landlords we have connections with,” Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Denver Human Services, told KDVR News. “Basically said, listen, we’re going to have some newcomers who are going to need housing.”
“We’ve got kind of a rent cap — $2,000,” Ewing told the outlet. “The nonprofits already have connected folks with all kinds of housing, all over Denver.”
According to the outlet, as late as January, that figure had reached 4,500 persons. In the past, migrants would post on social media to look for a place to call home.
“We’re below 1,800 right now, which is the first time that number has been that low since September,” he told the outlet.
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“A lot of those posts have now been replaced by, hey, I now need to furnish my apartment, what do I do? And so it’s a good problem to have when that’s what you’re running into,” Ewing said.
The city of Denver has worked to help migrants obtain work permits and find jobs.
“1,300 people right now, over the last two weeks or so, that we’ve been able to help get their work permits,” Ewing told KDVR News. “That’s a huge step.”
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