DENVER — The Community Economic Defense Project launched its CARE Center in 2020. Now, the center is reporting an increase in call volume to its emergency hotline as rental assistance requests skyrocket alongside eviction filings.
Born out of the pandemic, the hotline helps with rental assistance applications and questions. The CARE Center has 20 agents answering phones Monday through Friday.
Community Economic Defense Project co-founder Sam Gilman said renters can call the hotline at 303-838-1200 if they are facing eviction or need access to emergency assistance. The service can also be used by landlords when their tenant has been accepted for rental assistance. Landlords can inquire about the status of funds through the hotline.
The hotline is seeing increased call volume as 2024 sees a record high number of eviction filings. Colorado is on pace to see up to 70,000 filings, while there were roughly 55,000 in 2023.
"This is driven by ever-increasing rents here in the state," Gilman said.
In April, Denver County recorded the largest number of eviction filings in one single month. There were 1,665 eviction filings, compared to 1,038 in April 2023 and 576 in April 2022.
Over the course of two years, the filings nearly tripled.
"The CARE Center, along with some other policy solutions, plays an important role in keeping people in their homes, and we’ve seen the data that this emergency eviction assistance actually makes a difference," Gilman said.
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