RDL Ground Breaking Release

Breaking Ground and Breaking Down Barriers for Denver’s Chronically Homeless 

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless broke ground on Renaissance Downtown Lofts, a partnership with Denver’s Social Impact Bond initiative to provide permanent supportive housing to 100 chronically homeless individuals. 

 

DENVER, September 12, 2016—Colorado Coalition for the Homeless broke ground on Renaissance Downtown Lofts, its latest development to provide permanent supportive housing to Denver’s chronically homeless, on September 8, 2016. With the new Renaissance Downtown Lofts property, the Coalition will provide 100 new apartment homes in collaboration with the City and County of Denver’s Social Impact Bond program. 



To date the Coalition has engaged 61 individuals referred through the Social Impact Bond program and housed 51 of those individuals. Early results are encouraging, as the Coalition works to keep those individuals housed and improve their health status while reducing emergency costs to the city.



The combined effort with the City’s Social Impact Bond program will save the city an average of $29,000 per resident in emergency-related costs, transform the lives of 250 of Denver’s most vulnerable citizens, and improve the quality of community in the downtown neighborhood by reducing the number of individuals who are forced to call the streets their home.

 

“We know that each person who experiences homelessness has a unique story and situation, so our approach to helping them must be just as diverse. Life on the street and or in a jail cell is simply not acceptable for those who are most in need and suffering from mental and behavioral health challenges or addiction,” Mayor Hancock said. “We have an obligation to ensure that they are able to receive the support they deserve to rebuild their lives and have bright futures. This is exactly what our Social Impact Bond program aims to achieve, and once open, the Renaissance Downtown Lofts will provide safe, secure, permanent homes for 100 of these individuals to live healthy and productive lives.”

“Once this housing is completed, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will have housed approximately 165 individuals through the Social Impact Bond program. Our partners at Mental Health Center of Denver will house another 85 individuals when their new Sanderson Gulch project is finished next September,” said John Parvensky, Coalition President and CEO. “None of this would be possible without the collaboration of many partners. And, today we gather in the spirit of hope and opportunity, and in gratitude that we are moving together as a community to create lasting solutions to homelessness.”

 

Photo: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless celebrates the groundbreaking of Renaissance Downtown Lofts with collaborators (from left to right) Rick Padilla, Denver Office of Economic Development Housing Director, Albus Brooks, Denver City Council President, Frank Newman, Wells Fargo Rocky Mountain Lead Regional President, Mayor Michael B. Hancock, John Parvensky, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless President and CEO, and Alison George, Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Housing Director.

The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being and stability of those it serves. Since its founding more than 30 years ago, the organization has earned state and national recognition for its integrated healthcare, housing and service programs. The Coalition’s comprehensive approach addresses the causes of homelessness, as well as the consequences, offering critical assistance to over 15,000 individuals and families each year. Learn more at www.coloradocoalition.org

 

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