Resources /

Immigrant resources 2025

Introduction

CCLP is an antipoverty organization advancing the rights of every Coloradan, including immigrants. Policies affecting our immigrant communities are changing due to President Trump’s Executive Orders (EOs). This page offers resources for:

  • Legal information
  • Community support
  • Policy advocacy

Some resources may be available in other languages.

CCLP are not immigration attorneys, and we are not your attorney. This is not legal advice. This page has information and resources for you and your loved ones. If you are having any problems, please reach out to an immigration attorney.

Updated 7/29/2025

Introducción

CCLP es una organización contra la pobreza que defiende los derechos de todos los habitantes de Colorado, incluyendo a los inmigrantes. Las políticas que afectan a nuestras comunidades inmigrantes están cambiando debido a las Órdenes Ejecutivas (OEs) del Presidente Trump. Esta página ofrece recursos para:

  • Información legal
  • Apoyo comunitario
  • Defensa de políticas

Algunos recursos pueden estar disponibles en otros idiomas.

CCLP no somos abogados de inmigración, y no somos su abogado. Esto no es asesoramiento legal. Esta página contiene información y recursos para usted y sus seres queridos. Si tiene algún problema, por favor comuníquese con un abogado de inmigración.

Actualizado 29/7/2025

Supporting immigrant communities: Resources & links
Apoyo a las comunidades inmigrantes: recursos y enlaces 

Safety in the health space
Seguridad en espacios de salud

Courthouse safety
Seguridad en el jusgado

Family safety
Seguridad familial

  • Child Welfare FAQs Regarding Family Detention or Deportation; A comprehensive FAQ guide on child and youth welfare considerations for families affected by detention or deportation in Colorado. – CCLP, February 14, 2025
  • Español: Preguntas frecuentes sobre el bienestar infantil en relación con la detención o deportación familiar; Una guía completa de preguntas frecuentes sobre consideraciones de bienestar infantil y juvenil para familias afectadas por detención o deportación en Colorado. – CCLP, 14 de febrero de 2025
  • Detained or Deported: What About My Children?; A parental rights toolkit. – Women’s Refugee Commission, February 26, 2025
  • Family Preparedness Plan; This packet will help everyone create a Family Preparedness Plan, regardless of immigration status, available in Chinese. – ILRC, March 1, 2017
  • For Parents and Caregivers: How to talk with children ages 3-6 years old about ICE; A document about how to talk to children about ICE and immigrant status; available in Spanish in the same document. – Dr. Claire Cronin, LPC RPT-S and Lucía Granados Vicuña, LSW
  • Immigrant Preparation Packet; A packet to help you and your family prepare for possible action by immigration authorities such as ICE. – Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), updated January 2025
  • Español: Paquete de Preparacion Para Inmigrants; Este paquete le ayudará a usted y a su familia a prepararse para posibles acciones de las autoridades de inmigración, como ICE. – Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), updated January 2025
  • My Family Protection Plan; A guide to form and document a plan of action in case of deportation, or a prolonged absence from home. – Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center
  • Español: Mi Plan de Protección Familiar; Una guía para formular y documentar un plan de acción en caso de una deportación, o igual en caso de una ausencia prolongada en el hogar. – Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center
  • Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan; A toolkit that gives guidance on family preparedness planning, regardless of immigration status. – Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), November 20, 2024
  • Español: Plan De Preparación Familiar; Este paquete está dividido en diferentes secciones que brindan orientación sobre la preparación familiar, independientemente de estatus migratorio. – ILRC, November 20, 2024
  • U.S. Citizen Kids and ICE Check-Ins: How to Prepare; A guide to help you decde whether or not to bring your children with you. – NIP
    • Before the second Trump Administration, it was considered safe and even recommended for parents attending an ICE & ISAP check-in to bring their U.S. citizen children with them. 
    • Because the number of arrests at check-ins has increased, and because ICE has illegally deported some U.S. children with their parents against those parents’ wishes and without following procedures that allow parents to take the time to make decisions or arrangements for their children, we have prepared this guide to help you decide whether or not to bring your children with you.

School safety
Seguridad en escuelas

Please note this list does not cover every school district in Colorado. Please reference your local school district’s website and superintendents for immigration policies.  

Tenga en cuenta que esta lista no cubre todos los distritos escolares de Colorado. Consulte el sitio web de su distrito escolar local y a los superintendentes para conocer las políticas de inmigración.

Colorado schools

Native American safety
Seguridad Nativo Americano

Public charge impacts
Impactos de la carga pública

Know your rights
Conoce sus derechos

General safety and legal needs
Seguridad general y necesidades legales

Colorado

  • AMISTAD; an immigrant center in Boulder, available in English & Spanish
  • Casa de Paz; an organization offering housing, meals, visits, and transportation to families affected by immigrant detention in Aurora, Colorado.
  • Immigrant Legal Center of Boulder County; An organization with the mission to expand access to reliable legal services for the immigrant community.

Workplace safety
Seguridad de trabajo

Track news & updates (Colorado)

Seguimiento de noticias y actualizaciones (Colorado)

 

Organizations, departments, centers, etc.

  • Center for Immigration Policy & Research (CIPR); A center at University of Denver that strives to provide a more robust picture of migration dynamics.
  • Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC); An organization fighting for a more just and welcoming Colorado for all.
  • Colorado Rapid Response Network (CORRN); An organization committed to responding to raids, deportation, and any ICE activity happening across the state in our communities. Their network is made up of multiple immigrant advocacies and activist groups.
  • CO-TRUTH; A coalition of organizations, businesses, and municipalities dedicated to combatting misinformation related to Colorado’s immigrant community.
  • Immigrant and Refugee Center Northern Colorado (IRCNoCo); An organization that provides multilingual and culturally responsive education and navigation for their clients/students and their families.
  • Immigration Resources; A list of immigration resources across Colorado – 211 Colorado
  • Office of New Americans (ONA) within the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment; serves as the point of contact to advance to the integration and inclusion of New Americans in Colorado communities.
  • Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN); An organization providing free immigration legal and social services to immigrant children and to adults in immigration detention.
  • Spring Institute; An organization building a thriving intercultural community through learning, language access, and advocacy.

Articles

Track news & updates (national)

Seguimiento de noticias y actualizaciones (nacional)

 
  • Addressing the myth of mass deportation’s popularity; A memo, citing new polling from the Immigration Hub, shows mass deportation remains an unpopular solution to handling undocumented immigrants in the United States. – Global Strategy Group, BSP Research, and Immigration Hub
  • Analysis of Trump’s New Travel Ban Fact Sheet; A fact sheet providing information on the travel ban – AIC, June 6, 2025
    • On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation restricting or limiting the entry of nationals from 19 countries, effective at 12:01am on June 9, 2025. 
    • The proclamation invokes sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to completely restrict immigrant and non-immigrant visas and legal entry from 12 countries and partially restrict certain immigrant and non-immigrant visas and legal entry from seven others, with narrow exceptions.
    • The 12 countries with near-complete visa restrictions are: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
    • The 7 countries with partial visa restrictions are: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
  • Community Resources; Resources on this page include a wide range of downloadable tools produced for diverse audiences, from experienced advocates to directly impacted community members seeking answers about the complex world of immigration law. – ILRC
  • Debunking the Myth of Immigrants and Crime; A study that compared crime data to demographic data from 1980 to 2022, to reveal historical trends and capture the latest patterns.
  • Debunking the Myth of the ‘Migrant Crime Wave’; An analysis of substantial research has assessed the relationship between immigration and crime. – Brennan Center for Justice, May 29, 2024
  • Frequently Asked Questions: Latest DACA Developments; This resource provides an overview of the current state of the DACA program and what that means for DACA recipients and their loved ones. – NILC, January 18, 2025
  • Immigration News; A webpage to check out daily roundups of immigration-related news stories, read articles, and check out analysis from AILA. – AILA
  • Immigration Policy Tracking Project; A project that compiles and indexes all identifiable Trump 1.0 and 2.0 immigration policies with key source documents and continually updates each entry to show its current status.
  • Policy Brief: The Trump Administration’s Assault on Immigration Courts; An analysis of the recent updates from the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) on how new policies and agency terminations will impact removal proceedings. – AILA, March 7, 2025
  • Resources; the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country, leading the fight for the dignity and respect of all immigrants. – United We Dream
  • Termination of the Designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status; Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is terminating the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The designation of Cameroon for TPS is terminated, effective at 11:59 p.m., local time, on August 4, 2025. – US Citizenship and Immigration Services, June 4, 2025
  • Termination of the Designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status; Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is terminating the designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The designation of Nepal is set to expire on June 24, 2025. The designation of Nepal for TPS is terminated effective at 11:59 p.m., local time, on August 5, 2025. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, June 6, 2025
  • USCIS Policy Alert – Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification and Deferred Action; a Policy Alert, announcing the elimination of automatic consideration of deferred action for Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) who are currently unable to apply for lawful permanent residence due to the EB-4 visa backlog.
    • On June 6, 2025, USCIS announced it will no longer accept Applications for Employment Authorization under category (c)(14) from individuals to whom USCIS has previously granted deferred action with SIJ classification.
    • Those with current deferred action based on their SIJ classification will retain deferred action and employment authorization based until the current validity period expires, unless USCIS terminates deferred action and revokes associated employment authorization before the end of the current validity period, pursuant to Volume 6, Part J, Chapter 4, Section G of the Policy Manual. This policy change is effective immediately.

Organizations, departments, centers, etc.

  • American Immigration Council; An organization striving to strengthen the US by shaping immigration policies and practices.
  • Informed Immigrant; An organization hoping to provide all undocumented immigrants with the knowledge and resources they need to feel prepared in our unpredictable political and enforcement environment.
  • Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center; An organization seeking justice for people struggling with poverty and oppression.
  • Masa Group; An organization that offers services in social justice and progressive advocacy issue areas.
  • Migration Policy Institute; An independent, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to improve immigration and integration policies through authoritative research and analysis, opportunities for learning and dialogue, and the development of new ideas to address complex policy questions. Y en español.
  • National Immigrant Justice Center; An organization establishing and defending the legal rights of immigrants, regardless of background, and to transform the immigration system to one that affords equal opportunity for all.
  • National Immigration Law Center; An organization advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants & their loved ones.
  • National Immigration Project; a membership organization of attorneys, advocates, and community members who are driven by the belief that all people should be treated with dignity, live freely, and flourish.
  • Protecting Immigrant Families; An organization bringing together leading advocates for immigrants, children, education, health, anti-hunger, anti-poverty groups, and faith leaders to lay the foundation for a more inclusive future.
  • Washington Office of Latin America (WOLA); An organization advancing human rights, democracy, and justice in Latin America

Articles

  • 700 Marines arive in L.A. area amid ICE protests as Newsome files suit to block deployment; News article about the National Guard troops being deployed in Los Angeles, California. – CBS News, June 10, 2025
    • The U.S. Northern Command said in a statement Monday evening that Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division had been activated to prepare for the deployment. The Marines are based in Twentynine Palms, a city east of Los Angeles.
  • Justices Grant DOGE Access to Social Security Data and Let the Team Shield Records; An article about the Supreme Court letting members of the Department of Government Efficiency, formed by Elon Musk, can have access to sensitive records of many millions of Americans held by the Social Security Administration. – The New York Times, June 6, 2025
    • The court’s order was brief and unsigned, which is typical when the justices rule on emergency applications.
    • In a second unsigned order on Friday the court handed DOGE another victory, ruling that, for now, the organization does not have to turn over internal records to a government watchdog group as part of a public records lawsuit.
  • Texas’ undocumented college students no longer qualify for in-state tuition; An article about a federal lawsuit targeting Texas’ policy of letting undocumented students qualify for lower public tuition rates, a 24-year-old law. – The Texas Tribune, June 4, 2025
  • Trump Administration Backs Off Demand for SNAP Recipient Data; An article on how the Trump administration has temporarily halted its demand for states to provide personal information on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients following a federal lawsuit. – Newsweek, June 4, 2025
    • In a sworn court declaration filed on May 30, the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that it had not collected any recipient data and would not proceed with a plan announced earlier in the month to make states share personal information regarding SNAP beneficiaries until privacy and legal safeguards were addressed.
    • The lawsuit is set to move forward as both sides prepare to litigate whether federal agencies can require states to hand over sensitive data from SNAP recipients without first meeting federal privacy protections and public transparency requirements.
  •  

Want to help but don’t know how?

¿Quieres ayudar pero no sabes cómo?

Contacts

  • Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-8255 (24/7 crisis support), or text TALK to 38255
  • Denver Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs: immigrants@denvergov.orgemail with any questions or concerns regarding issues in Denver.
  • Office of New Americans: please email newamericans@state.co.us or call 303-318-8230.
  • 211 Colorado; Immigrant, refugee, & new American resources & supports. Dial 2-1-1 or text 898-211* to reach the 211 Colorado Help Center to speak with a live navigator.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas

Interacting with ICE resources

For more materials and information on interacting with ICE and knowing your rights during your interactions, please review these additional resources:

Interactuando con recursos de ICE

Para obtener más materiales e información sobre cómo interactuar con ICE y conocer sus derechos durante sus interacciones, revise estos recursos adicionales:
Interacting with ICE (Informed Immigrant)
What To Do During Encounters With ICE (Immigrant Defense Project)

If you witness ICE activity or experience an interaction with ICE, call the Colorado Rapid Response Network (CRRN) at 1-844-864-8341. Dial 1 to speak to a dispatcher immediately.

Si veas alguna actividad de ICE o tiene una interacción con ICE, llame a la Red de Respuesta Rápida de Colorado (CRRN) al 1-844-864-8341. Marque 1 para hablar con un operador de inmediato.

What to expect from CRRN

After you have called the Colorado Rapid Response Network, the dispatcher will ask for detailed information about the location and situation. Trained volunteers will then be sent to the scene to:

Qué puedes esperar de CRRN

El operador le pedirá información detallada sobre la ubicación y la situación. Se enviarán voluntarios capacitados a la escena para:

Record the Event

Registrar el evento

Identify participating ICE agents

Identificar a los agentes de ICE que participaron

Remind those involved of their constitution rights

Recordarles a las personas involucradas sus derechos constitucionales

HEALTH:
HEALTH FIRST COLORADO (MEDICAID)

Health First Colorado is the name given to Colorado’s Medicaid program. Medicaid provides public, low-cost health insurance to qualifying adults and children. It is an entitlement program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. Those who are required to pay must pay a small co-pay when receiving certain health care services.

State Department: Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Eligibility: Most adults 18 to 64 are eligible for Medicaid in Colorado if their household income is at or below 133% of the federal poverty limit (FPL). Pregnant women are eligible with incomes of up to 195% FPL, while children under 18 may be eligible if the live in a household with income at or below 142% FPL. Some adults over 65 may also be eligible for Medicaid.

Program Benefits: Through Medicaid, low-income Coloradans are eligible for a range of health care services at little to not cost. Services provided include doctors visits, prescription drugs, mental health services, and dental care. Co-pays for certain individuals may be needed for certain services.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds our Medicaid program through state and federal dollars. Medicaid is an entitlement program, which means that all who are eligible for Medicaid can access the program, regardless of the funding level in a given year. This does not mean that it is always easy to access Medicaid, even when eligible. And since the program is administered by counties, funding levels for county staff and other administrative roles can make it easier or harder for Coloradans to access the program. On top of this, not all medical providers accept Medicaid which limits the ability of Coloradans to seek health services even if enrolled, such as if the nearest provider is a 2+ hour drive away.

Note: This data is from before the pandemic and does not reflect changes in enrollment rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health emergency.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 89.0% of the population at or below 133% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for Medicaid) were enrolled in Medicaid in Colorado.

FOOD SECURITY:
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP helps low-income Coloradans purchase food by providing individuals and families with a monthly cash benefit that can be used to buy certain foods. SNAP is an entitlement program that is funded by the federal and state governments and administered by counties in Colorado.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: Currently, Coloradans qualify for SNAP if they have incomes below 200% FPL, are unemployed or work part-time or receive other forms of assistance such as TANF, among other eligibility criteria. Income eligibility for SNAP was different during the study period of this report than today—it was 130% FPL back in 2019 for example. The US Department of Agriculture uses the population at or below 125% FPL when calculating the Program Access Index (or PAI) for SNAP. We follow this practice in our analysis despite Colorado currently having a higher income eligibility threshold.

Program Benefits: SNAP participants receive a monthly SNAP benefit that is determined by the number of people in their household and their income. Benefit amounts decrease as income increases, helping households avoid a sudden loss of SNAP when their incomes increase, even by a minor amount. Benefits are provided to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to purchase eligible food items, such as fruits and vegetables; meat, poultry, and fish; dairy products; and breads and cereals. Other items, such as foods that are hot at their point of sale, are not allowable purchases under current SNAP rules.

Program Funding and Access: SNAP, like Medicaid, is a federal entitlement program. This means that Colorado must serve any Coloradan who is eligible for the program. As such, funding should not be a limit to how many Coloradans can be served by the program. However, funding for administration of SNAP at the state and county level can limit the ability of county human service departments to enroll those who are eligible. Other program rules and administrative barriers can make it difficult for Coloradans to receive the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 61.1% of the population at or below 125% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for SNAP) were enrolled.

FOOD SECURITY:
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also know as WIC, provides healthcare and nutritional support to low-income Coloradans who are pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, and to children under 5 who are nutritionally at risk based on a nutrition assessment.

State Department: Department of Public Health and Environment

Eligibility: To participate in WIC you must be pregnant, pregnant in the last six months, breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age, or a child under the age of 5. Coloradans do not need to be U.S. citizens to be eligible for WIC. In terms of income, households cannot have incomes that exceed 185% FPL. Families who are enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Medicaid are automatically eligible for WIC. Regardless of gender, any parents, foster parents, or caregivers are able to apply for and use WIC services for eligible children.

Program Benefits: WIC provides a range of services to young children and their parents. These include funds to purchase healthy, fresh foods; breastfeeding support; personalized nutrition education and shopping tips; and referrals to health care and other services participants may be eligible for.

Program Funding and Access: WIC is funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The state uses these federal funds to contract with local providers, known as WIC Clinics. In most cases, these are county public health agencies, but that is not the case in all Colorado counties. Some WIC Clinics cover multiple counties, while others are served by multiple clinics. Private non-profit providers are also eligible to be selected as a WIC Clinic.

Statewide Program Access 2015-17: Between 2015 and 2017, an average of 52.2% of the population eligible for WIC were enrolled in the program in Colorado.

Financial Security:
Colorado Works

Colorado Works is the name given to Colorado’s program for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF. It is an employment program that supports families with dependent children on their path to self-sufficiency. Participants can receive cash assistance, schooling, workforce development and skills training depending on the services available in their county.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: In general, Coloradans are eligible to enroll in TANF if they are a resident of Colorado, have one or more children under the age of 18 or pregnant, and have very low or no income. For example, to be eligible to receive a basic cash assistance grant through TANF, a single-parent of one child could not earn more than $331 per month, with some exclusions—and would only receive $440 per month (as of 2022). That said, there are other services provided by counties through TANF that those with incomes as high as $75,000 may be eligible for. In addition to these, participants in TANF are required to work or be pursuing an eligible “work activity” or work-related activity. Any eligible individual can only receive assistance if they have not previously been enrolled in TANF for a cumulative amount of time of more than 60 months—this is a lifetime limit that does not reset. Counties may have additional requirements and offer benefits that are not available in other counties in Colorado.

Program Benefits:  While the exact benefits that one is eligible for under TANF can vary, all qualified participants are eligible to receive a monthly cash payment, call basic cash assistance. Other than cash assistance, counties are have a lot of choice in how to use their TANF funding; generally a use of TANF funds is appropriate so long as it advances one or more of the four purposes of the program: (1) provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of their relatives; (2) end the dependence of needy families on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

It is important to note that those eligible for TANF are also eligible for many of the other programs we’ve included in this report, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and CCCAP.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds its TANF program through funds received from the federal government through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. Most of the federal funds are allocated by the state to counties, which are required to provide a 20% match of state funding. Federal and state rules allow the state and counties to retain a portion of unspent funds in a TANF reserve.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 50.7% of the population at or below 100% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for TANF) were enrolled in TANF in Colorado.

EARLY LEARNING:
COLORADO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CCCAP)

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program provides child care assistance to low-income families and caregivers living in Colorado in the form of reduced payments for child care. It is a program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. The share owed by parents/caregivers is determined on a sliding scale based on the family’s income.

State Department: Department of Early Childhood Education

Eligibility: Counties set eligibility for families separately, but must serve families with incomes at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit. Families accepted to the program are no longer eligible once their income exceeds 85% of the state median income. Parents or caregivers must be employed, searching for work, or engaged in another approved activity to be eligible for CCCAP. Parents and caregivers enrolled in Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) or in the child welfare system are also eligible to participate in CCCAP. Generally, CCCAP serves families with children under 13, although children as old as 19 may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Program Benefits: If a family is eligible for CCCAP and has income, they may likely have to pay a portion of their child’s or children’s child care costs each month. The amount that families owe is based on their gross income, number of household members, and the number of children in child care in the household. As such, households tend not to experience a benefit cliff with CCCAP when they see their incomes increase

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds the CCCAP program using federal dollars it receives from the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The state allocates federal and state funds to counties using a formula that takes into account factors like current caseloads and the number of eligible residents. Assistance is available until the county’s funds are spent, so the number of families that can be served is often a function of how much funding is available and the income and composition of the household that applies. It is not uncommon for counties to overspend or underspend their allocations of funds. The state reallocates unspent funds from counties who underspent to those who overspent. While underspending could indicate a problem with the way a county administers its CCCAP program, it could just as likely be a sign that there are few providers in the county who participate in CCCAP—or a lack of providers generally.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 10.8% of the population at or below 165% of FPL and younger than age 13 (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for CCCAP) were enrolled in CCCAP.

Housing:
HUD rental assistance programs

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has three housing assistance programs that we look at together: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), Project-based Section 8, and Public Housing. In Colorado, these programs provided assistance to over 90% of the households who received federal housing assistance from all HUD programs. Through federally funded, local or regional public housing agencies (PHAs) are the agencies that administer these programs, through not all are available in all counties. These are not the only programs available in Colorado that assist households afford the cost of housing, such as units funded through federal and state tax credit programs.

State Department: Department of Local Affairs

Eligibility: Generally, households with incomes under 50% of the area median income (AMI) of the county they live in are eligible for these rental assistance programs, although PHAs have discretion to select households with incomes at higher percentages of AMI. That said, HUD requires that 75% of new vouchers issued through the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 program in a given year are targeted to households with incomes at or below 30% of AMI. PHAs are also able to create criteria that give priority to certain types of households who are on waiting lists for these programs.

Program Benefits: These rental assistance programs help households afford the cost of housing by reducing their housing costs to around 30% of their household income. In the case of the Housing Choice Voucher program, the PHA pays the voucher holder’s landlord the remaining portion of the rent.

Program Funding and Access: Funding and access are both challenges for these rental assistance programs. In addition to limitations on the number of public housing units or housing vouchers a PHA can manage or issue, lack of funding compared to the need constrains the ability of PHAs to assist low-income households. In 2020, Coloradans were on waitlists for Housing Choice Vouchers for an average of 17 months. Waitlists also exist for the other rental assistance programs.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 21.1% of renter households with incomes at or below 50% AMI (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for HUD rental assistance programs) were living in subsidized housing.