DOUGLAS COUNTY HOMELESS INITIATIVE

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025

MINUTES

BOCC Hearing Room,

Conference Rooms A & B

Thursday, April 10, 2025

9:00 AM

Welcome & Introductions: Commissioner Laydon

Aurora Regional Navigation Campus:

Emma Knight, Homelessness Division Manager, City of Aurora: The City of Aurora was

awarded $15,360,852 in response to the State Division of Housing HB 1378 grant

application for the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus (ARNC). The City of Aurora,

Adams County, Arapahoe County, and Douglas County allocated a combined total of

$39,991,454 of funding towards the Campus renovations. In May of 2024, the City of

Aurora purchased the Crowne Plaza Hotel to convert it into the ARNC. In Fall of 2024,

the design process began. In the first quarter of 2025, renovations have begun, and the

Campus is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2025. In January of 2025, the ARNC

had been opened as a temporary emergency weather shelter. In March, they averaged 111

people per night. The temporary emergency weather shelter closed in April to complete

the renovations to the ARNC.

Jim Goebelbecker, Executive Director, Advance Pathways: Advance has been selected as

the program operator for the ARNC. Advance started with four sober living homes.

Their programs are designed by people with lived experience with homelessness and

substance disorder. Advance, in partnership with the Springs Rescue Mission, has

continued to develop their programs by applying and learning best practices with

organizations that have been doing this successfully for 35+ years. The ARNC Day Center

will be a welcoming place where all can come to be in a safe place where they are offered

daily needs and shelter.

There will be three tiers to the shelter program. Tier one will be emergency shelter with

acute care no matter their condition. They will have onsite EMS services for people who

may be experiencing withdraw from substances. Participants will receive a cot, meal

service, and offered compassion. For those who want to engage with case management and

additional services, they can move into tier two of the program. Tier two is an engaged

semi-congregate shelter program called “Courage”. Participants in the Courage step will

develop a plan with a case manager to address obstacles and to build skills for sustainable

employment and housing. Tier two participants are offered a private bed and storage

space while they continue forward movement to tier three. Tier three is workforce

transitional housing and includes approximately 220 units. In tier three, “Commitment”,

participants have a private room with a private entrance, parking, different mealtimes

which help build community, and may pay up to 30% of income towards program fees.

This helps build responsibility for the skill of paying rent. Tier three is available up to two

years to allow participants to pay off debt, purchase a car, and gain stability to move on to

permanent housing.

ARNC will be able to provide 20 respite beds for people being discharged from the

hospital to recover from an illness for up to 30 days. Participants must be able to care for

themselves as this will not be a medically supervised component. In addition, there will be

an onsite medical clinic with two exam rooms, a reception area, and a private medical

office. The hours of operation will be Monday – Friday for participants to access medical

care to help relieve pressure on local emergency hospital rooms.

The ARNC will provide wraparound services including vital document replacement, legal

assistance, workforce training, resume building, interviewing skills, addiction recovery

options, and other services the community has identified. Approximately 85% of their

staff has lived experience with addiction recovery. ARNC will provide an independent

security team who are equipped in de-escalation and will continue to collaborate closely

with Aurora Police Department.

ARNC will not provide mental health services or substance abuse treatment onsite but will

partner with detox and mental health service providers in the community including

Aurora Mental Health, Potomac Campus and Ridgeview Campus just outside of Aurora.

Transportation will be provided to and from appointments as needed. Douglas County

Opioid Council is currently exploring a model with a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), crisis

detox facility, co-located at a hospital. They anticipate this pilot beginning in Sky Ridge

Hospital and the new, incoming Common Spirit Hospital.

Homeless Prevention Update:

Steven Dodrill, Community Programs Administrator: The Housing Stability Program

(HSP) was launched in 2024, as a pilot program to support Douglas County residents at

risk of homelessness through rental assistance, utility support, and case management.

Participants must reside in Douglas County and have an income at or below 30% of the

Area Median Income (AMI) which is just under $40,000 per year for a household of four.

Participants must be at high risk of housing instability, defined as losing their primary

nighttime residence within 14 days.

The program’s goal is to help participants maintain their current housing while fostering

long- term stability through individualized case management plans. HSP partners include

Catholic Charities, Douglas County Housing Partnership (DCHP), Advocates for Children

CASA, Manna Resource Center, The Crisis Center, and AD Works!

HSP launched in August of 2024 and concluded its first contract on March 31, 2025. The

program assisted seven households comprised of 25 individuals avoid homelessness. Just

over $62,000 of assistance was provided accompanied by over 70 hours of case

management services provided by our community partners.

Douglas County was awarded $40,000 in Homelessness Resolution Program funds (HRP)

for homeless preventions services, requiring a $20,000 match for a total project budget of

$60,000. The Board of County Commissioners approved the 2024 HRP contract on March

25, 2025, with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Building on the successes of the Housing

Stability Program, Douglas County aims to continue providing targeted homeless

prevention services to residents at risk of losing their housing. By leveraging the awarded

HRP funds, the program plans to assist an additional 4-6 families through financial

assistance and supportive services.

Executive Committee Member Update:

Jason Gray, Mayor of Castle Rock: Castle Rock Police Department is experiencing a

reduction in calls for service with unhoused community because of the collaboration with

and interventions of the Crisis Response Team (CRT), Homeless Engagement and

Resource Team (HEART), and Police Department.

Sasha Easton, Workforce Director and Division Manager, AD Works!: A Job Fair was

held in April, with 63 vendors and over 500 students attended. AD Works! partnered with

Denver, Adams, Boulder, Jefferson, counties on a DRCOG grant application and was

awarded $5,200,000 in total and AD Works! was specifically awarded $1,200,000. The

plan for these funds is to train 3800 job seekers over the next four years in HVAC,

electrical, plumbing, pipe fitting and sheet metal, and building management occupations.

Three additional grants that AD Works! has applied for include one from the US

Department of Labor for Veterans experiencing housing insecurity or justice involved.

The second grant is through the State of Colorado called Pathway Home for justice

involved individuals. This grant allows working with pre-released inmates for workforce

development and training and provides support after release. The last grant is through the

Colorado State Education Department for a more in depth and robust GED program

through AD Works! Douglas County has supported these grant applications through

letters of support.

Jeff Garcia, County Attorney: Convening a summit between the attorney’s office, the

Castle Rock Police Department, the Sheriff’s office, and local businesses to help clarify

that Douglas County is prosecuting shop lifting and to gather local feedback for creation of

an enhanced ordinance to help prevent future shoplifting crimes.

Kirsten Swanson, Executive Director, Douglas County Community Foundation: Douglas

Has Heart fund is over $2000. Close to securing a matching gift for a Mother’s Day gift

drive, will give updates as things evolve.

Caroline Frizell, Director of Communications and Public Affairs: A question will be on

the Community survey asking if people are aware of the Handouts Don’t Help campaign

and if they are taking the next step to donate. In addition, Douglas County is coordinating

with Ellie Reynolds, Douglas County Economic Development Corporation, for a

roundtable session with businesses to discuss additional marketing materials that

businesses may be interested to help spread the word about the campaign including QR

codes, window clings, or cards.

Jason Johnson, Executive Director, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI): The week

of April 28th, MDHI will be releasing the first State of Homelessness for 2024 statewide

dashboard to all the CoC’s throughout the state. MDHI is hosting the first Metro Denver

CoC convening on April 24, 2025, at Boulder Community Center for all local CoC

partners. The in-person registration is full at 250 registrations but still have virtual

registrations available.

Laura Hefta, Councilmember, Parker: Anthony Mazzeo from Parker Police Department

has been successfully engaging with businesses in Parker. Congratulations to HEART for

continuously engaging with a gentleman that had been homeless in Parker for four years

and has now reunited with his with family in New York. It is that kind of relationship

building and persistence that makes a difference in people’s lives.

HEART:

Tiffany Marsitto, Community Services Supervisor: March HEART activity summary

includes 22 new clients enrolled in the HEART program, 222 total referrals, 23 clients

exited the program with 17% going to permanent housing, and 29 business engagements.

HEART activities that were completed for the month include a presentation for 60

students and 10 teachers at Cherry Hills Christian School. After the presentation, student

filled bags for the homeless that included water bottles, protein bars, toiletries, canned

goods, and notes of encouragement for the recipients. Of the 41 active clients on the

HEART case load, four are families. We are actively case conferencing for these families

to help get them stabilized. In March 2025, there were 22 new enrollments to the HEART

program, in February of 2025, there were 24 enrollments and in March of 2024, there were

30 enrollments. In March of 2025, there were 54 households that received one or more

services in the HEART program.

HEART completed a total of 222 calls for service for the month of March 2025. The

services provided by location included Highlands Ranch 37%, Castle Rock 14%, Parker

14%, Lone Tree 12%, Castle Pines 17%, and Englewood 6%. Exit outcomes for the 23

clients included 17% exited to permanent housing, 22% exited to temporary housing, 31%

exited to shelter, 13% were no contact, and 17% wanted to remain homeless but out of

County.

The March success story comes from HEART Navigator Alyssa DeJesus. In February,

HEART Navigator Alyssa DeJesus received a referral through the HEART website about

a newly homeless woman in Castle Rock who was living out of her vehicle. Alyssa

connected her with local resources for food, clothing, and gas while working to find

housing solutions. During cold weather nights, limited hotel vouchers from local churches

were provided temporary relief. Determined to secure stable housing, the woman

proactively submitted multiple apartment applications each week. In early March, she

reached out to Alyssa with the exciting news that she had signed a lease and moved into

her new apartment the day before. Alyssa commended her dedication and perseverance in