John Scarffe, Boulder County. Due to the threat of the Coronavirus, Covid-19, Colorado’s economic situation is dire. During an online Town Hall meeting on May 4, 2020, KC Becker. who represents Colorado’s House District 13, introduced the meeting by writing that the Joint Budget Committee is back at the Capitol on May 5, trying to figure out how to balance the budget while cutting $2 to $3 billion from the general fund. 

While Congress recently passed legislation that provided some funding to states responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, that funding came with strings attached and cannot be spent on programs most relied on. “If Colorado doesn’t get more federal assistance for state and local governments, we could see schools, law enforcement, health clinics, correctional facilities and job training programs shut down or stop functioning,” Becker wrote. 

State Representative from Boulder House District 10, Edie Hooton, moderated the May 4 Town Hall meeting, which had more than 100 participants. She serves in a leadership role as the majority caucus chair and vice chair of the Energy and Environment Committee and on the Committees for Transportation and Local Government, Statutory Revision, and Emergency Preparedness. 

The Senate had 900 bills before the virus, and many of those have been postponed, Hooten said. During three weeks of a session, they will prioritize bills based on their ability to address this pandemic, and health and safety. They will be prioritizing health, safety, housing and food. 

The meeting also included Steve Fenberg, who represents Senate District 18, which includes the cities of Boulder, Lyons, Nederland, Allenspark, Niwot, Gold Hill, Ward, Hygiene, Jamestown and most of unincorporated western Boulder County. He said the legislature last met on May 18. The upcoming session is not going to be like any other. 

“We are coming back to a situation that is different than any other,” he said. The budget will likely require them to make cuts that will touch every Coloradoan, but they will try to make it as painless as possible. The legislature will consider two bills on housing and will be thinking about new bills that they wouldn’t have thought of before, including extending the Governor’s executive orders. “We are in a holding pattern in the legislator right now but working like crazy over Zoom.”

Hooton introduced Boulder County Human Services and Housing Director Frank Alexander who said the most important message is for people to reach out for support they need to prevent instability. The worst thing is to reduce housing and reduce instability in the real estate economy, and and that will help flatten the curve economically.

“In these difficult times, it is extremely important for landlords and tenants to work together and find a compromise to help people remain in their homes. Negotiation should take into account current financial realities and the ability of both the landlord and tenant to absorb any losses,” according to the website. Mediation services, a dispute resolution process that helps avoid the need for legal action, court involvement, or worsening conflict, are offered by the cities of Boulder and Longmont, and these services have been temporarily expanded countywide.

Options for tenants and landlords include a payment plan, temporary rent reduction (if possible), early termination of the lease, substitute services for rent, or other solutions. If you need assistance in communicating and negotiating with your landlord, tenant, or roommate, mediation services are available.

For properties in Boulder, Gunbarrel, Nederland, Louisville, Superior and surrounding areas, contact: City of Boulder Community Mediation Service, 303-441-4364. For properties in Longmont, Lafayette, Niwot, Lyons, Allenspark, and surrounding areas contact:

City of Longmont Mediation Service Phone, 303-651-8444.

Kids eat free all summer long! Text “food” to 877-877 or visit www.KidsFoodFinder.org to find a location near you.

Boulder County has funds out there for unemployment, small business administration and food support. “We have been able to help families up to $75,000 in income with medical support.” 

The biggest problem is the fear of housing, and a whole host of resources are available, Alexander said. The landlords have been supportive and helping them through the next couple of months until resources become available. They encourage residents to talk to their landlord and work with them and know they are having challenges. 

They have received more than 22,000 texts from Boulder County residents recently. The most important number is 303-441-1069. Contact the home wanted campaign at www.homewanted.com. 

EFAA Executive Director Julie Van Domeen presented opportunities about how EFAA empowers families to thrive. Founded in 1918, EFAA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Boulder that serves residents of Boulder County. EFAA helps those in our community whose immediate needs for food, shelter and other basic necessities cannot be adequately met by other means, and supports their efforts toward financial stability or self-sufficiency.

Van Domeen said that emergency family assistance started from the Spanish Pandemic, so they have years of experience. They offer financial assistance and a food bank in Western Boulder County and the mountains. They currently have 57 sites for the homeless in Boulder County, and the Food bank has changed to grab and go, so people can get what they need at the curbside. 

EFAA also offers financial assistance to prevent evictions. They have planning through June to put out $900,000 for rental assistance. “We’re on the ground providing an immediate response,” she said. BCHA waived a month of rent. 

They are also working to support families that have lost jobs and day care and have waived rent payments. They have helped support children for online learning, resources and WIFI. Three families are under quarantine in the County. 

“EFAA is prepared and fully committed to continuing to provide services while protecting the health of our community. EFAA’s services remain available throughout the stay-at-home order issued by Boulder County.”

EFAA serves people living in the City of Boulder and Boulder County mountain communities with a primary focus on families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities. For City of Boulder services, call the front desk at 303-442-3042 to see if you qualify. For mountain community services, call 720-422-7813.

Isabel McDevitt, CEO of Bridge House, said they have a range of services, but their two core elements are basic needs for the street homeless and part of homeless solutions for Boulder County. Since Covid-19 in early march, Homeless Solutions and Public Health have accommodated sheltering for homeless, and they don’t have the luxury of a lot of social distancing. 

They also have partnered with Public Health to bring screening onsite and are seeing much lower rates of infections than other parts of the state. For folks on the street, its challenging without access to basic needs. 

“We were open every night and open for day services since April, things like bathrooms and washing hands. In terms of additional services, we are ready to work with transitioning housing and jobs,” she said. 

Like many small businesses, they have seen a huge decline in businesses but have been able to pivot and offer a kitchen for paying customers and more prepared foods from scratch for EFFA and other organizations. They also have worked with 300 people in housing, followed up to see how they are doing and contributed $20,000 for direct housing assistance.

They will continue to try to bring in resources for those who don’t have housing support. Preventing homelessness is key at this time, and making sure people have sheltering options and housing. Bridge House works with partners throughout the state and is committed to continue providing services for clients who need support the most during this uncertain time. 

Bridge House will continue to provide sheltering and meals on a walk up basis with these increased supports including medical staff on site to screen for symptoms for our basic needs clients. Should a client be symptomatic they will be sent to an EOC-run shelter for quarantine and treatment. 

The Day Shelter is now open every day through April 30 at 2691 30th Street, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch provided on weekends; on weekdays lunch is provided around the corner at Harvest of Hope. Other programs include Ready to Work and the Community Kitchen Table. To order from the menu go to https://boulderbridgehouse.org/take-bake/.https://boulderbridgehouse.org/take-bake/. To donate funds go to  https://boulderbridgehouse.org/donate/

Chris Nelson, CEO of Attention Homes, said they provide housing for youth from 12 to 24 years old in a residential setting with access to education, dental and health care. They have 40 units in downtown Boulder. 

Attention Homes provides life-changing resources for youth in crisis and goals include building behavioral, emotional and career-related pathways for success, reuniting youth with their families and helping them to become self-sufficient. Attention Homes was founded in 1966. The organization’s first house was the Carriage House, just north of the Methodist Church on Broadway. 

Nelson said Attention Homes made switches after Covid-19 and pivoted pretty quickly. They have opened a hotline to help youngsters with services such as medical and mental health care and have received a lot of calls. 

“We’ve been able to house one person a week,” Nelson said. “We have been working hard for years to help young people maintain and retain housing. Young people are working in restaurants and retail, and a huge number have been furloughed from employment, so Attention Homes is trying to help with resources they can bring in both federally and locally and trying to help people. They see a huge increase in need and hope they are in place to help. 

Administrative Offices, 1440 Pine St. Suite B, Boulder, CO 80302.

Phone: 303.447.1206; The Source, 3080 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304, phone: 303.447.1207.

Source Drop-In-Center: Open every day of the year from 12.30 p.m. to 5 p.m., ages 12-24. Overnight Emergency Shelter: Open every night of the year from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., ages 12-20.

(Originally published in the May 7, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)