AURORA | Aurora officials had to dial back spending for homelessness programs in the city due to reductions in state and federal funding.
Each year, the city awards grants to non-profit groups for homeless services using funds it receives from the state and federal governments. This year, the city is distributing just under $1 million to local service providers amid reduced funding levels, while it received applications for $1.7 million.
Aurora receives a mix of state and federal funding that it passes through to homelessness-related services and nonprofit organizations operating within the city. This year, the overall funding pool is smaller due to declining marijuana tax revenue and the expiration of federal COVID-era relief funds, according to city documents.
At the same time, a significant portion of the city’s homelessness budget is now being directed toward the Navigation Campus under an existing operator agreement.
The city’s Homelessness Division opened its 2025 Homeless Services Notice of Funding Opportunity on Sept. 2, and eight agencies submitted 12 applications requesting $1,730,064.43.
Only $961,818 was available for distribution.
Comitis Crisis Center is the only emergency walk-in family shelter in Aurora, and they were denied funding for multiple applications.
“They haven’t submitted what they needed to for this year, and then the category they applied for this year, they were not eligible for either,” Jessica Prosser, director of Housing and Community Services, said.
A city’s review panel evaluated the applications and made funding recommendations to city council, which were approved to move forward during the study session Dec. 15.
The following agencies are recommended to receive funding:
- Aurora Housing Authority requested $200,000, and staff recommended the same amount.
- Aurora Housing Authority requested $181,400, and staff recommended the same amount.
- Aurora Housing Authority requested $76,303, and staff recommended the same amount.
- Three Birds Alliance ( a domestic violence family shelter formerly known as Gateway Battered Women’s Shelter) requested $200,000, and staff recommended $150,000.
- Family Tree (a family shelter that works with families enduring domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness) requested $100,000, and staff recommended $68,600.
- Advance Inc. (the nonprofit that runs the Navigation Campus) requested $100,000, and staff recommended funding the full amount from Public Safety.
- Advance Inc. also requested $140,868 from ESG Shelter funding, and staff recommended the full amount.
- Aurora Mental Health and Recovery requested $24,725, and staff recommended $25,000 from Public Safety funding.
In addition to these awards, $2 million will be advanced to support operations at the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus, as outlined in the city’s operator agreement.
Applications not recommended for funding:
- Brother’s Redevelopment, Inc. requested $64,303.
- Comitis Crisis Center (one of Aurora’s family shelters) requested $138,219 from Shelter funding, $310,079 from the Marijuana Fund and $220,470 from Public Safety funding.
- Ready to Work requested $50,000
The city received $217,171 from the Emergency Solutions Grant, federal funding that helps individuals and families regain housing stability after a housing crisis and prevent homelessness, according to city information.
It received $200,000 from HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, federal funding that helps individual households afford housing costs in market-rate rental units.
The Marijuana Tax Revenue Grant was $400,000 this year, a decline from previous years, Jessica Prosser, director of Housing and Community Services, said. The fund is used for local funding dedicated to homelessness assistance programs.
The city also received $144,647 Public Safety Assistance Grant, which is local funding for programs that support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness through partnerships with public safety entities in Aurora.