Opinion: Here’s why Aurora put work-first with new homeless shelter

The complexity of the homelessness crisis has resulted in a patchwork of attempted solutions, none with all the answers, but each with lessons about what doesn’t work. Learning from all this, and building upon it, the city of Aurora is taking positive steps to reduce homelessness by utilizing a unique approach: providing incentivized opportunities for individuals to get back on their feet.

Our approach emphasizes overcoming challenges through addiction recovery, mental health treatment and job training, with the ultimate goal of securing employment that allows individuals to support themselves without being dependent on taxpayer assistance. It provides incentives to encourage each individual’s movement through the program, understanding their unique needs and focusing on the ultimate long-term goal of escaping homelessness. This strategy is both fair to taxpayers and meaningful for those experiencing homelessness through a mix of compassion, courage and commitment.

Aurora has purchased the former Crowne Plaza Hotel at I-70 and Chambers, using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, along with ARPA funds from the state of Colorado, and Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties. The hotel will be repurposed as the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus (ARNC). The total cost, including renovations, is estimated to be $42 million. In exchange for funding from the state, Aurora has agreed to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness across the 10-county metro area.

The former hotel’s 255 private rooms, large conference areas and smaller meeting rooms will be converted according to a plan I recently proposed to our City Council, which passed with a strong majority Aug. 26.

The plan reflects a “Work First” approach already proven successful in Aurora through the “Ready to Work” program operated by Bridge House, a Boulder-based nonprofit, since 2018. It divides the proposed ARNC into three distinct parts or “Tiers.”

Tier I focuses on compassion: In this tier congregate emergency shelter will be available for those who have not yet engaged with a case manager to develop a plan for moving out of homelessness and toward self-sufficiency. Only minimal services, such as meals, showers, laundry and pet sheltering, are provided in the Tier I emergency shelter to incentivize individuals to move to Tier II.

Tier II focuses on courage: In this tier participants must have made an individual decision to be actively participating in an approved plan under the guidance of a case manager, and in exchange, they will have access to extended-stay semi-private living accommodations and increased access to services. This plan involves programs that address their barriers to employment, such as job training, addiction recovery, mental health counseling, or a combination of these services.

Tier III focuses on commitment: In this tier there is further incentivization for achieving the goals set under Tier II and recognition of the individual’s efforts, with access to 235 private rooms in the hotel section of the ARNC for up to two years, reserved for those who are working outside the center but still need some services. Residents in Tier III will pay 30% of their income toward the cost of their temporary housing. The remaining 20 rooms in Tier III will be set aside for individuals experiencing homelessness who have been hospitalized and need convalescent care to recover from surgery or illness.

After moving through all three tiers, individuals are not just on a path to self-sufficiency, but have achieved it.

One objective of the ARNC is to secure recognition for the “Work First” approach from the federal government. Currently, the federal government recognizes “Housing First” as the primary strategy for addressing homelessness. As a result, Aurora must raise private funds to support the Tier III “Work First” portion of the ARNC.

The fact that Denver, with its “Housing First” approach, is a neighboring city presents a unique opportunity for the entire country to observe and compare the effectiveness of these two models.

I am confident in the effectiveness of our approach of compassion, courage and commitment make the outcomes both transparent and public, so policymakers locally, regionally and in Washington, D.C., can assess whether our “Work First” approach is effective, and we can obtain the recognition that “Work First” also deserves.

Dustin Zvonek is an at-large Aurora City Council member currently serving as mayor pro tem.

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