Denver City Council Adds $4 Million to 2027 Rent Assistance Program

Denver City Council approved a compromise late Monday night that adds $4 million to the city’s budget for housing assistance in 2027. The measure brings the total available for the Temporary Rental and Utilities Assistance Program, or TRUA, to $8.5 million. This figure is lower than the $15 million the city plans to spend this year.

Councilwoman Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez sponsored the successful amendment. She joined Councilwomen Flor Alvidrez and Shontel Lewis in backing the measure. Only Councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Kevin Flynn voted against it. The council’s action followed a request in a letter sent to Mayor Mike Johnston earlier this month. Johnston had initially proposed $4.5 million for the program in the 2027 draft.

The funding increase comes from two parts. The council amendment adds $1.72 million to the TRUA fund. The mayor’s office stated it will contribute the remaining $2.3 million in the coming weeks. These funds will come from the city’s contingency fund and service budgets from several departments.

Gonzales-Gutierrez acknowledged the funding gap during the vote. “We know that this is just a drop in the bucket. The need far exceeds what we have available to us,” she said. She expressed hope that the city could increase the program’s funding next year based on revenue collection. The reduction from this year’s budget is partly due to the end of federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, which the city will no longer receive in 2027.

The TRUA program helps residents backpay rent, pay current rent, or cover one month of future rent. Households receiving rental help can also get utility payment assistance. The program also covers relocation costs if an eviction is inevitable. The council voted down two other TRUA-related amendments. Gonzales-Gutierrez withdrew a proposal for $5.5 million, and Council President Diana Romero Campbell withdrew a plan to set aside $400,000 for Denver Public Schools families.

The council also approved several smaller budget amendments on Monday. Councilman Darrell Watson’s amendment dedicates $300,000 to Nest56, an affordable housing complex serving young adults experiencing homelessness. An amendment from Lewis, Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Councilwoman Jamie Torres allocates $200,000 to the Office of Children’s Affairs for youth violence prevention data. Other measures move $60,000 to the Office of the Municipal Public Defender and $60,000 to the Office of the Independent Monitor.

The mayor’s office has until Friday to accept or veto these amendments. The council can override any vetoes next Monday before the budget is finalized. The current budget draft includes $1.68 billion in general fund spending, a 1% increase from this year.