Property owners in Denver are being asked to rent their places out to migrants as the Colorado city shuts down four public-run shelters.
The Mile High City’s migrant services issued an email this week to property owners in the area seeking assistance in housing the city’s “newcomers” to get them out of shelters and into more stable housing.
“We put out a feeler to all the landlords we have connections with,” Jon Ewing from Denver Human Services told KDVR. “Basically said, listen, we’re going to have some newcomers who are going to need housing.”
The department’s email gauged the rental owners’ interest in opening their listings to the city’s migrants, but at a budget.
“We’ve got kind of a rent cap — $2,000,” Ewing added.
“Denver today announced the consolidation of newcomer shelter operations from seven hotels to three by early April as part of the city’s strategy to move newcomers from shelter to stability,” the Denver Newcomer and Migrant Support website reads.
Venezuelans make up the vast majority of the over 40,000 migrants that have arrived in the Mile High City since 2023, according to the outlet.
Most migrants are bussed from the border to Denver, but approximately 40 to 60 percentages get on another bus and head to other US cities.
“Many people, as you know, arrive in Denver never having intended to come to Denver,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said. They just got put on the bus and this was their first stop.”
nypost.com/2024/03/07/us-news/denver-asking-property-owners-to-rent-space-to-migrants/