At a time when Americans’ trust in the federal government is at rock bottom, citizens in Colorado and across the country are increasingly relying on local government to tackle today’s toughest problems, including homelessness, mental health and crime.

With more than two-thirds of Americans expressing faith in the ability of local governments to effectively address difficult challenges, according to a recent Gallup survey, it’s important to examine how Colorado counties and municipalities are winning these battles. An upcoming Advance Colorado report will take an in-depth look at best practices and compile examples of model policies other local governments can and should enact.

Let’s look at how three Front Range communities are addressing homelessness, mental health and crime.

The City of Colorado Springs, through its Emergency Solutions Grant, takes the wise and effective step of partnering with proven local nonprofits and homeless shelters.  

Springs Rescue Mission, for example, offers a comprehensive “treatment-first” approach. In contrast to increasingly controversial and troubled “housing-first” policies, this includes addiction recovery programs, health services, meals, showers, laundry services, facilitating job placements, emergency shelter, permanent housing and transitional housing.

A detailed report by the Common Sense Institute found by embracing a “treatment-first” model, Colorado Springs is more effective than Denver in handling the homelessness crisis. 

Strong leaders in local government are open to finding ways to use the strengths of the private and non-profit sectors to augment government services. The partnership between the City of Colorado Springs and the Springs Rescue Mission is a solid example. 

One of the keys to addressing the rise of homelessness in local communities is to squarely face mental health issues that underlie the struggles of many of Colorado’s homeless men and women.

According to Mental Health America’s yearly rankings on mental health, Colorado ranked 51st for adult mental health in 2021 and 45th in 2022. Colorado has the 11th-highest rate of adults considering suicide in the nation today.

Douglas County’s Mental Health Initiative was established to “unite community partners, address unmet mental health needs, connect people to mental health services and prevent those in need from falling through the cracks of the mental health system.”

In 2017, this initiative created Douglas County’s Community Response Teams, which pair a law enforcement officer with a mental health professional to help those suffering from a mental health crisis – hopefully avoiding the emergency room or jail time and finding the long-term support they need instead.

Expanding the use of Community Response Teams across the state is a key part of Advance Colorado’s 2024 policy agenda: “Moving Colorado Forward.”

Colorado’s rising crime rate has raised alarm bells, with citizens clamoring for answers. 

One of the most pressing crime issues statewide is the high rate of auto theft, in which Colorado recently ranked first in the nation. Even Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s car was stolen last November, the second time he has been a car theft victim. 

According to Common Sense Institute’s study on the economic consequences of auto theft, in 2022, auto thefts reached 801.2 per 100,000 population, cost $277 million in increased auto insurance and reduced state GDP by $158 million.

That same year, while state lawmakers were unable – or unwilling – to tackle this crisis aggressively, Aurora City Councilmember Dustin Zvonek led the charge to pass an ordinance that heightened the mandatory penalties for auto theft. Aurora City Council also passed a companion resolution that created a fund to help cover the cost of impounds for people who’ve had their cars stolen.

Passively waiting for the state to act would have allowed crime to fester – while the city’s quality of life continued to be threatened. Proactive local legislation helped to address the auto theft crisis directly and aggressively, a move that has proven popular with Aurora residents across the political spectrum. What’s more, it’s effective. These two ordinances have already resulted in a 25.5% reduction in auto theft in the city, according to the city’s then interim police chief.

The upcoming Advance Colorado Model Local Policies Report draws the conclusion local government, being closer to its constituents, immersed in challenges neighborhood by neighborhood – and hearing directly from residents – often can act in a more rapid, agile and creative fashion to craft practical solutions that work.

Michael Tsogt is a policy analyst at Advance Colorado.