The majority of people who spoke on Denver’s proposed spending plan during Monday’s council meeting praised councilmembers’ push to earmark $17.5 million for the city’s rental assistance program, saying the latter helps to prevent homelessness.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston did not budge on his $12.6 million budget request when the council asked for additional funding. The council proposed to Johnston $17.5 million, $5.1 million more than his original plan to fund the emergency rental program in his proposed budget.

But a mayor’s spokesperson late on Tuesday said Johnston added $3 million to the program – for a total of $15.6 million.

The residents who showed up to the meeting mentioned the program and how they believe it would positively affect those who are dealing with the city’s lack of affordable housing.

They said difficulties in making rent payments is a leading cause of Denver’s homelessness and urged the council to fund the city’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

To qualify for the program, which is aimed at helping tenants, the household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income for Denver, according to guidelines.

The Department of Housing Stability oversees the city’s emergency rental assistance program.

Councilmembers earlier sent a letter to Johnston, proposing to add $81 million to Johnston’s budget. In response, the mayor rejected 87% of their suggestions. The council has authority to make amendments to the budget.

The mayor does not want to go over 15% in reserves, according to his letter to the council.

“Mayor Johnston agrees that funding rental assistance is not only the moral, humanitarian thing to do, but it’s the right financial thing to do,” the mayor’s office told The Denver Gazette on Tuesday.

“That’s why we have proposed a 500% expansion of city funding for rental assistance despite a massive drop off in federal funding for this priority,” the mayor’s office added. “Mayor Johnston knows that we have a solemn obligation to deliver a balanced budget that meets this urgent need.”

On his first day in office, Johnston declared a homelessness state of emergency and vowed to house 1,000 homeless people by year’s end.

The city stopped accepting emergency rental applications in August due to insufficient funds. 

Councilmembers asked the Johnston administration to consider allocating more for rental assistance.

“I know my district in particular has had a huge increase in calls for eviction assistance and emergency rental assistance,” District 3 Councilwoman and Council President Jamie Torres told The Denver Gazette on the emergency rental program.

The people who spoke during the council meeting on Monday said they believe rent is the biggest need, saying rental assistance program prevents homelessness. They argued that, even though the funding for emergency rental assistance has increased, it is still not enough.

Denver is currently witnessing record numbers of evictions, the Department of Housing Stability said. The department is projecting 12,000 eviction filings this year.

Denver’s record for eviction filings was 10,241 in 2010, according to the city’s 2022-2026 five year plan document.

The report also cites plans to reduce Denver’s “unsheltered” homelessness – people who sleep in public places, such as cars or on the street – from the 2022 point-in-time count by 50% in 2026. The city also wants to increase the annual number of households served in rehousing and supportive housing programs from 1,800 to 3,000.

Denver saw a significant increase in homeless in 2023.

Of Colorado’s major cities, Denver saw the biggest increase in the number of homeless people – 5,818 as of January, up from 4,794 last year, according to a point-in-time count that offers a single night’s snapshot of the crisis back in January.

Between 2022 and 2023, the number of unsheltered people grew by 33%, from 2,078 to 2,763, according to the survey.

“This isn’t going to be the last time we’re gonna have to talk about money for it,” Torres said.

“I wouldn’t put it as a one and done conversation around this even if there is an amendment that comes through. We’re going to be having this conversation next year,” Torres added.

Under the city’s budget timelines, the council may propose additional budget amendments between Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. The deadline for Johnston to accept or veto any amendments is Nov. 10.

The key day is Nov. 13, when the council must pass the city’s final spending plan for next year.