The Denver Post
Denver is going to try a new tactic in its efforts to stem the tide of the metro area’s seemingly ever-growing homelessness crisis: providing $12,000 in direct payments to a small group of unhoused people over the course of a year to assess how it impacts their lives.
The city council on Monday approved the city’s participation in the Denver Basic Income Project. The contract passed unanimously as part of the council’s consent agenda without additional discussion, signaling broad support.
Using $2 million in federal COVID-19 relief money, the city will partner with program-runner Impact Charitable to provide 140 homeless individuals and households with payments over a 12-month period. Participants will be split into study groups. One group will receive $6,500 upfront and $500 a month for 11 months after that. Another group will receive $1,000 per month for a year, according to a presentation delivered by the city’s housing department last month.
The aim is to lift people out of homelessness via direct intervention, city officials say.
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