A Statement on the Monroe Micro-Community

Denver, CO — On Friday, Sept 12, the City and County of Denver announced it will end the funding of the Monroe Micro-Community as of June 30, 2026 as a cost saving measure for the Department of Housing Stability (HOST) within the Mayor’s Office. This decision will displace 40 community members and potentially eliminate 15 frontline jobs at Monroe - many held by individuals with lived experience of homelessness or recovery from other significant life challenges - and although HOST started in their reporting of this plan that they will save the City $11 million, only $750 thousand of those dollars would have gone to Monroe.

This decision was made suddenly after several months of discussing an upcoming move of the site. Given the City’s long-standing role as a principal funder and strategic partner, providing approximately 75% of CVC’s funding, our public-private partnership has been central to delivering shelter, trauma-informed services, and pathways to long-term stability for individuals facing significant barriers to traditional housing options. Monroe reflects a scalable model that closely aligns with the City’s stated policy priorities, and continued partnership is essential to sustaining this progress. 

Colorado Village Collaborative remains committed to exploring every possible solution to ensure Monroe Micro-Community can continue operating through 2026 and beyond. Under current permitting, the Temporary Managed Community permit for the Monroe site is set to expire in the fall of 2026, at which point the community will be required to relocate. While relocation has always been part of the long-term planning process, the sudden withdrawal of City funding threatens our ability to execute a responsible, supportive transition. However, HOST has agreed to help in the search for new land, while the current land that Monroe sits on will be redeveloped into workforce housing. We are committed to working alongside the City to ensure that the individuals it has pledged to support, as well as the frontline organizations providing daily services, can continue moving forward.

Community members across the entire site will have assistance to identify housing solutions or other indoor options and ensure their safe and comfortable transition. All community members who are engaged with case management will be offered stabilizing solutions, either through permanent housing or transfer to other All in Mile High sites. 

Among those directly impacted are the 20 community members of the Welcome Village, a dedicated space of Monroe specifically designed to support transgender and femme-identifying individuals, many of whom are escaping domestic violence situations. This space not only validates their identities but also offers one of the few affirming, safe environments available to a population that faces disproportionate risks and barriers to accessing services. 

Monroe Micro-Community, originally the Tiny Home Village, was Denver’s first resident-led village for people experiencing homelessness, and opened in 2017 after years of advocacy following the City’s 2012 camping ban. What began as a grassroots effort by dedicated staff and volunteers resulted in the construction of the first 11 homes, and today, the site has grown to 45 units and calls the Swansea neighborhood home. The Tiny Home Village, and later CVC’s Safe Outdoor Space program, laid the foundation for Denver’s “Micro-Community” model, which provides 24/7 staffing, three meals a day, full-time, comprehensive supportive services including case management and peer support, and operational efficiencies designed to promote a trauma-informed, dignified space. 

So far this year, the Monroe Micro-Community has served 93 individuals, with 22 successfully transitioning into permanent housing. Of those served, 53% identify as BIPOC, more than 78% report living with a disability or chronic health condition, and 54% identify as experiencing mental health challenges. In addition,18 community members are U.S. military veterans. The majority of individuals arrived at Monroe directly from the streets and have now lived in the community for over a year, providing direct evidence of the stability this model provides. Our supportive services team has delivered more than 247 case management sessions, over 250 housing-focused services, and facilitated more than 750 peer support activities, including one-on-one conversations, connections to community-based resources, wellness groups and support for mental health and recovery.

One community member at Monroe shared, "I feel like people here at CVC see all of us. Not homeless folks, not substance users, not trash. People with feelings and hopes and dreams. Thanks for seeing me."

We urge our supporters, partners, and members of the public to contact their elected officials and express the critical importance of the Micro-Community model and its services in the Denver community. With your advocacy and support, we can continue to push for solutions rooted in dignity, stability, and demonstrable impact.

Please consider making a donation to help sustain and protect the Monroe Micro-Community as we fight for its future.