In September 2025, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston reduced the city’s 2025 Temporary Rental & Utility Assistance (TRUA) budget by about $9 million, down from an original allocation of roughly $23 million. City leaders described the move as part of broader budget tightening and said the money would be “rolled forward” into the 2026 budget instead of being spent in 2025.
The timing mattered. The cut came as eviction filings in Denver and across Colorado were hovering near record highs, leaving many renters with fewer options just as housing instability was peaking.
When the funding pause hit, nonprofits and tenant-support organizations were forced to scramble. Groups like Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) shifted focus to what they could still do: helping tenants navigate rental-assistance systems, providing eviction defense where possible, and continuing broader economic-justice work. Many organizations also stayed in active communication with city housing officials, pushing for programs to reopen and for funding decisions to be revisited.
In October 2025, several nonprofits received a limited infusion of general-fund dollars, allowing them to reopen temporarily and process applications that had been left in limbo. That helped some renters—but it did not come close to meeting overall need.
Looking ahead, rental-assistance programs in Denver are expected to operate with around $15 million in funding for 2026. That total includes a one-time $4 million infusion from interest earned on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Importantly, that ARPA-related money will not be available in 2027, raising serious questions about long-term stability.
All of this points to a bigger issue Denver still has to answer: what kind of city does it want to be when renters fall behind? One that treats housing stability as essential infrastructure—or one that handles crises year-to-year, hoping temporary fixes will be enough?
If you need rental assistance, you can find information and application dates through TRUA at denvergov.org.
If you’re facing eviction and need legal help or advocacy, you can contact CEDP at cedproject.org/law.
https://denverite.com/2025/09/26/denver-mayor-slashes-millions-in-rental-assistance-as-eviction-cases-hit-record-highs/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/housing-relief-programs-pressure-denver-rent-prices/