Denver renters ask mayor, council not to cut aid – Denver Gazette

Denver renters ask mayor, council not to cut aid  Denver Gazette

Earlier this year, Patrick Self found himself alone, depressed, about three months behind on his rent — and facing eviction. Without family support to fall back on, the 35-year-old turned to Denver’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance (TRUA) program. “If this hadn’t of come in when it did, I’d probably be dead because I was suicidal at the time,” Self said. He was one of several people helped by the program who spoke Monday during a public hearing on Mayor Mike Johnston’s proposed 2027 budget, urging city leaders not to make cuts to TRUA. TRUA offers up to six months of rental assistance that includes helping renters become current and paying up to one month of future rent, according to the Department of Housing Stability (HOST).

The average beneficiary receives about $7,300 in rental assistance, said Christina Garcia, president of the Community Economic Defense Project, one of the nonprofits that administers the TRUA program. The Community Economic Defense Project is a Colorado-based nonprofit that provides free eviction legal defense and distributes financial assistance to prevent housing instability. Denver’s 2026 budget identified $15.1 million for TRUA, compared with the $4.5 million Johnston has committed for 2027 — a $10.6 million reduction, or about 70%. The administration has left open the possibility of additional funding later next year. The $4.5 million is