The Aurora City Council agreed during its winter budget workshop Saturday to fund a handful of homeless service providers with American Rescue Plan Act money.
The council had to make drastic cuts to funding the organizations when marijuana tax revenues plunged last year. On Saturday, some organizations had at least part of their funding restored, including:
Bridge House, $50,000
Family Tree, $97,520
Restoration Christian Ministries, $25,000
Safe outdoor space on Chambers Road, $35,000.
Safe outdoor space at Peoria, $14,000.
The council agreed to fund most of these providers because they assist families. Aurora will open a new homeless navigation center in early 2025 that will serve single homeless people, Mayor Mike Coffman said. He said it is important in the interim to fund the so-called safe outdoor spaces, or tiny home communities on Chambers and Peoria.
The tiny homes are needed to enforce the city’s camping ban. When the city sweeps a homeless encampment, they must offer shelter to those being displaced. Aurora frequently experiences full shelters.