Homelessness is a national problem but at its core it is a local challenge, impacting cities all across the country.
Here in Aurora, where I have led as the mayor for the last six years, the city and our nonprofit partner, Advance Pathways, have developed a unique approach to addressing this challenge. It hinges on incentivizing individuals to take the steps they need to stabilize their lives, join the workforce and reach the maximum level of self-sufficiency that they are capable of.
That approach is being put into practice now at the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus.
That facility, known as the ARNC, opened on Nov.17 in the former Crown Plaza Hotel at Chambers Road and Interstate 70. It has the capacity to serve more than 600 individuals.
The facility’s programming is neither “Housing First,” where individuals experiencing homelessness are given private rooms with the understanding that once stabilized they will want to take advantage of the wraparound services provided for them, nor is it a “Work First” model, where individuals are required to work in exchange for receiving assistance.
I like the “Work First” approach but that model is only effective for individuals who have already made the decision to change their behavior.
The ARNC’s incentive-based program splits offerings into three tiers. Tier I is a low-barrier shelter for newly arrived individuals, many just off the streets, who are provided with emergency services such as cots, and basic nutrition.
Tier II has better living conditions than Tier I as an incentive to participate in case-managed mental health care, addiction recovery, and job training. Participants in Tier II are offered semi-private accommodations, a bed instead of a cot, places to store their personal items, and better food choices.
Tier III is comprised of 255 private rooms set aside as transitional housing for individuals who are working full-time but are still in need of some services. Those in Tier III will be expected to pay a third of their income back to support the program.
It cost $40 million to purchase and transform the former hotel into a shelter and service hub. That funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which appropriated federal dollars to state and local governments during the pandemic. The project received ARPA dollars from Adams County, Arapahoe County, and Douglas County — the three counties that Aurora is in — as well as from the State of Colorado and the city of Aurora itself.
The city has committed to providing approximately $2 million a year to support the ongoing upkeep of the facility. Our partners at Advance Pathways will raise the remaining $8 to $9 million of the annual budget as they oversee daily operations. The Daniels’ Fund and the Anschutz Family Foundation have already stepped up to help Advance Pathways meet its funding requirements.
I believe that this strategy, focused on meeting people where they are and giving them tangible, concrete incentives to make progress on goals that will improve their lives, could set a new model for compassionately and effectively helping lift people out of homelessness. This is about finding solutions that work and can be replicated.
Aurora and Advance Pathways will be tracking and reporting outcomes in our push to reduce homelessness in Aurora by 50% by 2030.