THORNTON, Colo. — A property management company is stepping up to provide free housing to migrant families arriving to Denver from the southern border as city officials call on the federal government to do more to help with the crisis.
Wasatch Property Group, who owns and operates several multi-family communities around the Denver metro area, is helping supply furnished housing at no cost for 15 families in need.
"When we found out about all the migrants being just bused in over the last few weeks, we wanted to do something," said John Kindle, who is an area leader for the company in Colorado.
Denver
Denver mayor calls on federal government to do more to help with migrant crisis
Kindle said they are providing families with a fully-furnished apartment with everything they need. Previously, the 15 families were staying at the Quality Inn in Aurora.
Jhenny Urbana, who is currently seven months pregnant, her 11-year-old son Jefferson and her husband Luis, got the keys to their new apartment on Thursday morning.
Urbana said this blessing came at the perfect time for her and her family, as they were about to run out of time at the shelter.
"We were getting ready to go live under a bridge," Urbana told Denver7, in Spanish, adding she couldn't believe how nice the new apartment was, "[I am] immensely happy and content."
Kindle told Denver7 the experience has been very emotional.
"The families have been so appreciative, so happy. They keep telling us that they feel so blessed," he said.
Kindle said the families will be able to stay in the apartments at no cost for three months, to give them an opportunity to find jobs so that they can then take over the lease on their own.
Each apartment also stocked with food and families are given bus passes so they have access to transportation.
Mayors call on feds to do more as resources run thin
As of Thursday, 4,353 migrant escaping violence and economic instability in Venezuela were staying in Denver. On Wednesday, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston joined the mayors of Chicago and New York City in calling for more work authorization visas for people arriving to the Centennial state.
In addition to work authorizations, the mayors are asking for more federal funding and a coordinated entry plan so their cities aren't left to deal with the crisis themselves.
The federal government has pledged to reimburse Denver up to $9 million, but the city has spent $36 million helping more than 34,000 migrants over the past year. Johnston said the costs could quadruple next year.
"We're looking at about $160 million of potential costs going into next year's budget. That's almost 10% of our entire city budget. That's a massive impact for us,” Johnston said.
Congress continues to negotiate over a supplemental budget package, which could include more money for cities dealing with a migrant crisis like Denver. Johnston warned that without more federal support, things could get worse.
“If there is no federal support, there's no coordinate entry, there's no work authorization, then I think cities would have to look at dramatically reducing the amount of services we offered or dramatically cutting our city budgets, which has impacts on other parts of city services,” Johnston said.
Here's how you can help refugees and immigrants coming to Denver
If you’d like to help as the city responds to this migrant crisis, you can do so with donations — either material or monetary. If opting for the former, the city is asking for the following items:
- Socks (new/unopened only)
- Bras - small/medium/large
- Women’s clothing - small/medium/large
- Men’s clothing - small/medium
- Winter hats - gender neutral and kids/one size fits all
- Winter gloves - men's, women's and kids/small and medium sizes
- Scarves - various sizes
- Closed toed or winter shoes for children
- Closed toed or winter shoes for women sizes 4, 5, 6 and 7
Those items can be dropped off at the following locations:
Community Ministry
1755 S. Zuni St. Denver, CO 80223
Monday - Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Para Ti Mujer
150 Sheridan Blvd. Suite 200 Lakewood, CO 8O226
Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Colorado Changemakers Collective
12075 E. 45th Ave. Denver, CO 80239
Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Before heading out the door though, please call ahead to ask about any specific instructions for drop-off.
If you want to donate your time, you can donate money to the Newcomers Fund.
