CEDP October 2025 Newsletter
Community Economic Defense Project
Hi everyone, Like many cities across Colorado, Denver is facing tough budget decisions this year. Two weeks ago, the City paused the Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance (TRUA) program, a lifeline that has kept thousands of Denverites housed through unexpected hardships. The pause reminded us how many households remain just one emergency away from losing their homes. We’re encouraged that the City has since resumed processing TRUA applications selected in September and that CEDP is able to continue providing stability services and operate the call center supporting TRUA applicants. At the same time, funding beyond September remains uncertain. What is certain is our continued commitment to stand with our neighbors and fight to ensure they have the resources they need to stay housed as winter approaches. Already this year, Denver has seen 12,035 eviction filings, putting us on track for another record high year. Moments like this remind us that budgets aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; they reflect our values and priorities. At CEDP, our commitment remains the same, to stand with neighbors when they need it the most and to fight for a future where housing is treated as a basic foundation for health and opportunity Thanks for being in this with us, Marissa Molina Chief Policy & Communications Officer Here Are the Five Big Things You’ll Find Below
Impact in ActionAt CEDP, our Digital Equity team is steadfast in its mission to bridge the digital divide by removing technological barriers that keep Coloradans disconnected. Our work focuses on ensuring that low-income households have equitable access to the devices and services they need to stay connected and, in many cases, to stay afloat. So far this year, the team has distributed 345 phones and 66 laptops each one representing a lifeline to stability, employment, care, and community. In September, our team distributed 56 phones to individuals from all walks of life across the Denver metro area, from people reintegrating after incarceration to those experiencing homelessness or transitioning into permanent housing. Participants shared how meaningful these connections would be. “I can download the company’s app and start work,” said one recipient who attended with three generations of her family: her child, herself, and her mother. Earlier this year, CEDP supported their re-housing process and helped them access a computer through our digital equity program. At this event, both adults received phones, allowing them to job search, stay in touch with care providers for their toddler, and meet employer communication requirements. Having a phone or reliable internet connection can be life-changing. It can mean receiving a call from an employer, finding affordable housing, scheduling a medical appointment, or connecting with community organizations that offer critical support. These simple tools build stability and open pathways to opportunity. What Does the TRUA Funding Pause Mean for Denverites?At the end of September, the City of Denver paused its Temporary Rental and Utilities Assistance (TRUA) program, leaving many Denverites uncertain about how to cover rent and remain stably housed from October through the end of the year. As CEDP’s CEO Zach Neumann shared with Kyle Harris at Denverite: “We understand the budget challenges the city faces, but families who received news of the pause on TRUA funds are facing even bigger problems, including the loss of the place they call home.”
Marissa also shared with NBC9’s Angeline McCall: “To receive this immediate stop work order on Thursday has caused a lot of confusion and, frankly, a lot of hardship for the people who were already in the pipeline to receive support.” For many in our community, TRUA funding is not just a number in a city budget. Each dollar represents a lifeline that has kept families from impossible choices and helped them remain safely housed.
At CEDP, our priority is, and will always be, helping people navigate moments of crisis with dignity and care. We remain committed to standing with our neighbors in this difficult moment and will continue to advocate for ensuring every Coloradan has the resources they need to maintain a safe place to call home. What We’re WatchingWe’re always listening and paying attention to how national conversations and policies ripple through our communities here in Colorado. Here’s what’s on our radar this month: Federal Shutdown Many tenants, however, rely on other federal benefits to help pay rent. If those payments are delayed, families could still feel the impact. The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) has a landing page explaining renters’ rights during a shutdown, including that tenants should not receive rent increases, terminations, or eviction notices right now. Medical Debt and Housing Instability CEDP in the Community: Pikes Peak Stronger Together Housing Legal DayAt the end of August, CEDP hosted the first annual Pikes Peak Stronger Together event, a community-centered housing legal day, in collaboration with the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Legal Services, The Justice Center, Brothers Redevelopment, and the Pikes Peak Library District, to empower tenants to assert their housing rights. Members from our Legal and programs teams were on-site to offer community members free legal support, Know Your Rights workshops on evictions, warranty of habitability, and mobile home owner rights, as well as a resource fair. With 40 attendees, including 20 who participated in workshops and 12 who received free legal counsel, we gained insight into the ongoing challenges that tenants currently face when navigating the eviction process and securing quality, affordable housing.
CEDP staff who helped tenants at the Stronger Together Housing Legal Day in the Pikes Peak Region Participants emphasized the need for enhanced tenant education on their rights, both when facing eviction and after eviction when seeking new housing. There was also a clear call for more effective responses to habitability issues, particularly ensuring landlords are responsive to reports of unsafe or unhealthy living conditions. Tenants facing eviction require greater support, including clearer information on the eviction process, help with landlord communication, and solutions to the shortage of affordable housing options. More accessible legal assistance is also needed to address complex cases such as breaches of the warranty of habitability and unfair eviction practices. We remain committed to creating opportunities for tenants to understand their rights and the resources available to them. We look forward to hosting this event in the Pikes Peak region again soon. If you’d like us to host a tenants’ rights and resources event in your community, please reach out to partne...@CEDproject.org . Upcoming Community EventsOctober 2025 Sat 10/11 | 11:00am–3:00pm | CEDP Know Your Rights Workshop Wed 10/15 | 6:00–8:30pm | CEDP Know Your Rights Workshop + Legal Consults Sat 10/18 | 10:00am–4:00pm | CEDP Presentation Tue 10/21 | 9:00am–3:00pm | CEDP Tabling Thu 10/23 | 8:00am–12:00pm | CEDP Tabling + Legal Consults Fri 10/24 | 9:00am–2:00pm | CEDP Tabling + Legal Consults We’re deeply grateful you’re part of the housing stability and economic justice movement. The strength of this movement comes from the communities we serve and partners like you. Thank you for standing with working families, protecting housing stability, and helping us build a stronger and more just Colorado for all. Give now to keep families housed and power our fight. → Donate to CEDP Get housing help now. → Quick Links to Get Help
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