FAMILY SERVICES - HOMELESS AND HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES PROGRAMS
HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Family Services consists of the following programs or services:
Aurora@Home Program
Aurora@Home is the City of Aurora’s plan to provide housing to the residents of Aurora who are experiencing homelessness through rapid re-housing or who are in imminent danger of homelessness through homelessness prevention assistance. Aurora@Home (A@H) is a collaborative of organizations that have partnered with each other since 2010 in providing a safety net for families with dependent children and adult only households experiencing homelessness. These programs provide rental assistance and housing case management for households who are eligible for assistance. Most programs in A@H provide 3-9 months of assistance. Households are required to recertify every 3 months. During this time, adult household members work to increase their income so they can remain housing stable once support is no longer available through A@H.
How to Apply
– Referrals to Aurora@Home come directly from the partner agencies. When openings are available, AHA sends out requests for referrals from these agencies. AHA does not maintain a waitlist for Aurora@Home. Other eligibility criteria varies per funding stream.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a program for homeless families with children under 18 where chronic homelessness and chronic disability are barriers to stable housing. PSH quickly helps to identify potential housing options, assists with move-in costs and monthly rent, and provides on-the-ground case management and services. Case managers work with participants to identify goals, encourage participants toward achieving those goals, and ensure that households have access to all the community resources necessary to better guarantee safe and stable homes in which to raise children. Included in these services are: connecting participants to employment possibilities, budgeting and money management, connecting families to child care programs, and advocating for the family with landlords and other community resources.
How to Apply
– All participants in this program MUST be referred AHA through Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). CCH receives referrals from the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s OneHome database. Families experiencing homelessness should have a VI-SPDAT (an assessment) completed by a homeless organization so their name is entered into the OneHome database. In Aurora, the Day Resource Center can administer the Vi-SPDAT.
Family Unification Program (FUP) provides vouchers and case management services to families who are involved with Arapahoe County Department of Human Services. There families include those who are either facing the imminent removal of their children from the home due to a lack of adequate housing or for whom stable housing is the last step in reuniting with children. It also provides 36 months of housing assistance and case management to youth between 18 and 24 who have exited foster care and are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.
AHA Family Advocates are involved with the families and youth from day one to provide housing search and lease up assistance and in-home case management focused on retaining and maintaining housing stability. Family Advocates work with the families and youth to positively increase their income and/or education and employability, access benefits such as TANF and SNAP, and to ensure that the families, youth, and owners/property managers have a positive working relationship to ensure that they remain stably housed.
How to Apply
– All referrals must come from the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services FUP Liaison who works in child welfare. AHA is not able to accept self-referrals or referrals from any other organization to this program.
Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) is a housing voucher program for eligible Veterans and their families that was developed through apartnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist chronically homeless Veterans and their families. Veterans who take part in this program receive a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and case management services through the VA, as well as through Aurora Housing Authority (AHA), which helps support their long-term housing needs. Applications for the VASH Program are taken at the Veterans Administration office where Veterans are screened for eligibility.
How to Apply
– AHA only accepts referrals for VASH directly from the VA and cannot take self-referrals or referrals from any other organization. If your application is approved by the VA, the VA will submit a referral for the VASH Program to AHA.
Family Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) is a program for homeless families with children under 18. RRH quickly helps to identify potential housing options, assists with move-in costs and monthly rent, and provides on-the-ground case management and services. Case managers work with participants to identify goals, encourage participants toward achieving those goals, and ensure that households have access to all the community resources necessary to better guarantee safe and stable homes in which to raise children. Included in these services are: connecting participants to employment possibilities, budgeting and money management, connecting families to child care programs, and advocating for the family with landlords and other community resources. At the end of RRH, it is expected that families will have all the tools to maintain their own housing without any further assistance.
How to Apply– All participants in this program MUST be referred AHA through Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). CCH receives referrals from the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s OneHome database. Families experiencing homelessness should have a VI-SPDAT (an assessment) completed by a homeless organization so their name is entered into the OneHome database. In Aurora, the Day Resource Center, located at 13387 E 19th Place on the Fitzsimons campus, can administer the Vi-SPDAT.
