The Denver City Council will vote on a $3.4 million contract Monday with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, or CCH, to operate the city’s “Pay for Performance” housing program.
The program was formerly known as the Social Impact Bond, or SIB. The city created it in 2016. The program “aimed to increase housing stability and decrease jail stays among people who were experiencing chronic homelessness,” according to a memo from city staff to the council. “Since the launch of the Denver SIB, ongoing evaluations have proven the impact of supportive housing, through a Housing First approach, not only ends chronic homelessness and helps people find stability, but also reduces jail days and lowers the public costs of the homelessness-jail cycle.”
According to city staff, “It is important that the contract remains between CCH and the City of Denver to ensure consistency of services. CCH will use an appropriate level of care based on clinical assessment, integrated with a flexible array of housing options delivered through an evidence-based Housing-First approach to provide housing and supportive services.”