Coalition COVID-19 Response

For thousands of individuals and families, theCOVID-19 pandemic was an emergency within an emergency. During the height of the pandemic, the Coalition took every precaution to prevent and control the spread of the virus within housing, healthcare, and support service facilities and the community at large. At a time when Americans were asked to "stay home," those without homes were the most vulnerable to COVID-19. The Coalition's expertise, flexibility, and capacity were critical to Denver's community-wide COVID-19 response that addressed housing and healthcare needs. Coalition leadership worked with representatives of federal, state, and local agencies to secure funding for emergency housing to protect people recovering from COVID-19, and those at high risk of complications should they contract the virus.

Through mid-2023, over 1000 individuals were assisted through activated respite, sites where individuals could isolate and recover in motel locations and protective action, a proactive effort that housed individuals experiencing homelessness who were at high risk for health complications should they contract the virus. In addition, the Coalition also increased health services during this time, including the creation of integrated health clinics within Denver's emergency 24-hour shelters, providing COVID-19 testing and primary care to more than 1,000 shelter guests.