AURORA, Colo. — A drop in marijuana sales is threatening funding for local groups hoping to end homelessness in Aurora. It's a trend Denver7 has been tracking for about a year.
Marijuana revenue contributes, in part, to service for the unhoused in Aurora. As marijuana dollars dwindle, nonprofits have experienced a cut in funding they've typically received from the city.
"It's a $90,000 decrease from last year," Karmen Carter, Gateway Domestic Violence Services executive director, told Denver7 at the beginning of 2024.
As Aurora plans for 2025, the trend continues.
"With marijuana funds, there's been a slight reduction in revenue coming in," said Jessica Prosser, director of housing and community services for the City of Aurora.
According to city data, marijuana funding for homelessness services dropped around 64% between 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the city collected $3,900,000, and the 2024 estimate is $1,400,000. Another 60% drop is expected for 2025, with their estimate coming in at $550,000.
The city reports the other funding sources have remained stable.
"We set aside $2 million for the Navigation Campus," said Prosser. "It's really taking a holistic approach at working with people experiencing homelessness, getting them through a tiered system to get to a point where they're able to be resilient, live on their own, have income, and get the skills to address whatever it is that is aiding in their homelessness. It will be a comprehensive approach with many service providers working together from workforce to mental health to physical health and case management."
The Aurora Regional Navigation Campus is set to open in 2025.
Some nonprofits that have previously seen funding from Aurora won't be so lucky.
"Our funding from Aurora has gone from about 15% of our budget to 1% of our budget," Diana Goldberg with Sungate Kids told Denver7 last November.
This year, it's currently recommended that Aurora gives $0 to the nonprofit.
"We have review criteria for looking through in a scoring rubric. We also look at past performance in terms of metrics and how successful they are with getting people to self-sufficiency and housed and things like that," said Prosser about determining which agencies should receive what amount of funding from the city.
Colorado Safe Parking Initiative was also recommended to receive no funding.
"They didn't score as high, or they haven't performed well in the past," explained Prosser, who had decided not to recommend funding to the two groups.
While local community groups may feel the crunch, the city said it hopes the investments in the Navigation Campus will help with the need on a large scale.
City council will decide on the recommendations at their Dec 2. regular meeting.
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