A sudden loss — or risk of losing housing — can happen faster than many people realize, especially when major life events hit home. That was the case for a Denver woman who agreed to share her story under the condition of anonymity.
A mother of five children — ages 2, 4, 5, 11, and 12 — she had lived in the home for nearly eight years and suddenly found herself trying to keep her family housed while navigating multiple personal crises at once.
Back in October, the woman experienced a domestic violence situation involving her husband, which led to a restraining order. Shortly after, her brother passed away unexpectedly, forcing her to travel to Mexico for his funeral. When she returned home, she discovered a foreclosure notice had been issued.
“I wasn’t aware (the husband) wasn’t paying the mortgage,” said the woman. “Everything is mobile, and I thought he was paying it.”
At first, the family fell roughly $10,000 behind on mortgage payments. The woman said she struggled to find help until a group at her church recommended she contact Brothers Redevelopment.
After learning about the City of Denver’s Foreclosure Financial Assistance Program, administered by Brothers Redevelopment, she was approved for assistance to help stop the foreclosure process. However, complications with the mortgage company delayed the payment process, forcing the woman to continue searching for other resources and assistance while trying to keep her family housed.
As fees continued to grow, the amount owed eventually climbed to $23,000. Facing an April deadline to leave the home, she reapplied for assistance through Brothers Redevelopment while continuing to search for other options.
“It was a huge struggle,” she said. “I was hopeless — a single mom with five kids.”
Eventually, the woman received the call that her case had been approved and the funds would be wired directly to the mortgage company.
“I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
“This is our safe place. That’s our home — where we can come back from work and school and just be comfortable,” she added. “No worries, no stress — just freedom.”
Last year, Denver saw 677 foreclosure starts. The foreclosure process can begin after a homeowner misses mortgage payments for 90 days or more.
In 2025, Brothers Redevelopment administered more than $352,000 in assistance to 48 households through the program. For more information about rent and mortgage assistance programs, visit https://brothersredevelopment.org/rent-and-mortgage-assistance/.