Blog - Brothers Redevelopment

Denver residents Delfinia Lujan and Maria Crespin had a front row seat to the early days of Brothers Redevelopment’s impact.

During the 1970’s, the two longtime friends were actively involved in community work, including at the Action Center — a Lakewood-based human services organization.

At the Action Center, Brothers co-founder Manny Martinez would regularly attend the organization’s board meetings. It was there where he met Crespin and Lujan.

“We just got to be real good friends. He was amazing — very friendly, very respectful, and sometimes he was funny,” said Lujan. “He was a pretty awesome guy.”

Little did Lujan and Crespin know that they would eventually benefit from the services Brothers offers.

Lujan clearly remembers being one of the first clients to purchase an affordable home that Brothers repaired in Denver in the 1970s. She says the house was beautiful and had features that her family fell in love with like its spiral staircase, and backyard.

On move in day, former Denver Mayor Federico Peña and others from Brothers joined the Lujan family where the group took a photo in front of the spiral staircase for the former Rocky Mountain News newspaper.

The house was the first home the family purchased and was needed at that time, because Lujan had recently given birth to her third child.

“It touched my heart that our house meant that much to so many people, and we were the lucky ones to buy that and live there. The name (Brothers Redevelopment) alone touches my heart, because they do so much for so many people,” said Lujan. “I’m just so happy that Brothers is still in business, because back when they first started, they were doing so much for so many people.”

Finishing an unfinished job

Crespin crossed paths with Brothers again in 2022 when she reached out to the organization during a time of desperate need.

In January 2020, Crespin, a recently widowed woman who lives directly on South Sheridan Boulevard, was laid off from her job of 26 years. To survive, Crespin lived off her Social Security to pay her mortgage, utilities, and other bills.

But after hiring a contractor to paint her house to be able to get a refinance approved so that she could afford to keep her home, the contractor left the property unfinished. Crespin said the contractor painted her home but swindled her out of money for the painting of her garage and shed that were left with “paint samples” roughly sprayed on them.

Thankfully for Crespin, she remembered Brothers’ Paint-A-Thon Program was a resource available to her. So, she applied, and in the summer of 2022, volunteers arrived with paint brushes, buckets, ladders, and other materials to finish painting her garage and shed.

“It’s difficult to have any extra money as far as with everything that has gone on not only with me, but so many thousands of people too,” said Crespin. “My intention was I would get back to work — but I’ve also been pretty sick. I’ve been in the hospital a couple of times. And it’s just been one thing after another. But when you get help, you appreciate it. I was always attracted to helping people, but now I need the help. It’s a blessing to have organizations like Brothers that are able to help.”

“The many ways that we’re able to help our clients at whatever point they find themselves on the housing continuum is part of the legacy of Brothers Redevelopment,” said Jeff Martinez, Brothers president. “Like Maria, they remember and, hopefully, treasure what we’ve been able to do on their behalf. They know we are able to help them at various points of their lives.”

Brothers Redevelopment is happy to announce that its Paint-A-Thon Program has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Broomfield Community Foundation.

The grant lends to Brothers’ ability to paint the exterior of homes for disabled/older Broomfield residents. For 44 years, the Paint-A-Thon Program has painted thousands of senior-owned houses across the metro area and in Colorado Springs for free with the help of more than 133,000 volunteers. The service allows income-eligible homeowners the chance to beautify their homes and save their income for necessities like groceries and medication.

In 2022, the Paint-A-Thon Program painted two houses in Broomfield. Thanks to funding from the Broomfield Community Foundation, Brothers expects to paint around four houses in Broomfield this year.

“We are thrilled to receive support from the Broomfield Community Foundation. This grant will help us transform houses for well deserving older adults in Broomfield,” said Brothers Volunteer Department Director Chad Nibbelink. “This program is designed to keep older adults in their homes for as long as they can, and thanks to this funding, we’ll be able to accomplish that.”

Outside of the Paint-A-Thon Program, Brothers also serves Broomfield residents with home modifications and repairs through the agency’s Home Modification and Repair Program. In 2022, the Home Modification and Repair Program received a $250,000 grant from the City of Broomfield to offer home projects like roof repairs, deferred maintenance, and aging home rehabilitation at no cost to income-eligible Broomfield homeowners. Since then, the program has served three households in the city and is in the process of completing five other projects.

For more information about Brothers’ services, visit brothersredevelopment.org. Broomfield homeowners interested in the Paint-A-Thon Program can apply by emailing chad@brothersredevelopment.org or by calling 720-339-5864.

As Colorado’s affordable housing crisis continues to intensify, Brothers Redevelopment is bringing housing options to the table — particularly for those facing displacement in Denver and the justice involved population in Arapahoe County.

Toward the end of 2022, Brothers announced housing projects in the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood and in Arapahoe County.

In December, Brothers brought five three-bedroom townhomes to 4401 Josephine St. that will be sold to neighborhood families facing displacement and placed into the GES Tierra Colectiva community owned land trust. Shortly before the townhomes were set, Brothers and Arapahoe County announced the construction of a $3 million permanent supportive housing project for 80 to 100 justice-involved individuals in the county who are unhoused.

Collectively, Brothers counts 21 communities providing more than 850 units in its portfolio, bringing badly needed affordable housing to neighbors in six metro area counties along the front range. Here is a look at how the Globeville Elyria-Swansea and Arapahoe County projects will positively impact Colorado’s housing landscape.

Preserving the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood

On a chilly December morning, neighbors of the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood gathered with coffee and breakfast burritos to watch construction crews use a giant crane to hoist and set the townhomes. The housing was a welcoming site for an area that has seen gentrification take place because of the reconstruction of Interstate 70, rising housing costs, and real estate speculation by outside investors.

Each of the townhomes will be sold for no more than $180,000 each to qualified buyers whose incomes do not exceed 80% of Area Median Income. The homes will also be placed into the GES Tierra Colectiva — a community owned land trust that will preserve affordability for generations to come.

Since 2017, the GES Affordable Housing Collaborative — made up of Brothers, the Colorado Community Land Trust/Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, and the GES Coalition — have been working to spur affordable housing options in the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

The new-five unit community increases the number of affordable homes that the collaborative has acquired and/or developed to 10. The site for the housing was acquired thanks to financial assistance from the City and County of Denver who provided $2 million to the collaborative that leveraged an earlier $2 million grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The Colorado Health Foundation also provided a $600,000 grant to develop housing at the Josephine site.

In the near future, Brothers has plans to bring three more housing units on a site near Fillmore Street.

“Like all parts of Metro Denver right now, housing is at a premium and the cost has skyrocketed ever since we’ve been involved in this effort since 2017. It’s been really difficult to get a foothold and secure units that can be placed into an affordable community land trust like this one — but we’ve still been working at it,” Brothers President Jeff Martinez told Denverite.

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Serving a new population in Arapahoe County

Permanent supportive housing is safe and affordable community-based housing. The model uses housing-first, harm reduction and trauma-informed care models to provide shelter and services for unhoused individuals. And it has been nationally recognized as a proven solution to end homelessness because it combines housing and supportive services that enable living stability and independence not available on the streets.

Those reasons, combined with a need for unhoused clients of justice rehabilitation programs in Arapahoe County, are why Brothers is so excited to bring permanent supportive housing to the county.

The upcoming Arapahoe County project will provide housing and services to unhoused clients of the 18th judicial district problem solving courts, the Arapahoe County Pretrial Mental Health Program, Diversion clients of the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Probation Mental Health Program, Project SAFER, Veterans Treatment Court, jail re-entry, and defendants being restored to competency. This facility will improve the health, safety, and rehabilitation of around 100 justice involved clients at a time by addressing rehabilitation needs for those with mental health or substance use disorders while also providing housing resources and needs.

The announcement of this project adds a new demographic of people to a long list of clients that Brothers serves.

Along with providing housing to justice involved individuals, Brothers is preparing to open Valor on the Fax early this year — a 72-unit permanent supportive housing community at 7900 E. Colfax that will serve individuals with acquired brain injury and related disability. Brothers also offers affordable housing options to neighbors with other disabilities, low-income older adults, and income qualified families at Paris Family Apartments in Aurora.

For years, Brothers has administered Community Development Block grant funding on behalf of Arapahoe County to provide housing and housing-services — like home modifications and repairs, and housing counseling.

Arapahoe County Commissioners allocated $3 million of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funding to the upcoming permanent-supportive housing project. A location for the site will be announced in the future.

“We look forward to expanding our work with Arapahoe County to serve those who have gone through the justice system and face uncertainty along with health challenges,” said Martinez.

Brothers Redevelopment’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan is now available to the public after a robust comprehensive strategic planning process.

The plan outlines four strategic priorities and fulfills Brothers Redevelopment’s vision of employing a holistic approach to eliminating barriers to stable housing for low-income community members, older adults and people living with disabilities across Colorado.

The strategic priorities of the plan include:

Growing a strong and stable presence across Colorado by responding to housing needs along the I-25 corridor; working with state and local leaders to identify gaps in services across the state; and focusing on housing challenges that Brothers is positioned to address.
Serving our neighbors through reliable and innovative programs by expanding in the provision and development of affordable housing; expanding the number of units that Brothers Property Management oversees to maximize revenue and build out the department’s capacity to facilitate growth and complexity in the portfolio; identifying opportunities for Brothers program expansion that will lend to enhance service provision and spur new opportunities for future funding/revenue; continuing to build and maintain capacity for strong stewardship; and helping marginalized and excluded communities gain access to stable housing.
Broadening our funding base by focusing on self-sustaining programs and diversifying our grants base and other funding sources.
Investing in and recognizing our team by increasing unifying activities for our staff; providing flexibility to accommodate varying employee needs in a changing workplace; and committing to inclusivity.

“After nearly a year-long planning process, I’m excited to share our new comprehensive, and inclusive, Strategic Plan,” said Brothers Redevelopment President Jeff Martinez. “This new plan takes into account and builds upon the tremendous organizational growth and trends we’ve experienced since 2017 to lead us into a new era of impact that will see Brothers help tens of thousands of Coloradans in the near future. “

From May to September 2022, Brothers Redevelopment implemented three planning sessions and conducted over 30 interviews and more than 50 surveys of our staff, board members, community partners, and residents of Brothers Property Management buildings. Information gathered from those planning sessions informed the content of the plan.

The planning process was the most comprehensive of its kind in Brothers Redevelopment’s 51-year history and was meant to incorporate the views of various stakeholders to guide our implementation of our mission. Each priority has individual goals and metrics to measure progress. Those metrics will be evaluated with our Board of Directors monthly to ensure we are on track to meet the priorities of the plan and identify any areas of improvement. To read the full strategic plan, click here.

Brothers Redevelopment is now accepting applications for its 45th annual Paint-A-Thon season.

The free program utilizes volunteers to paint the exterior of homes for low-income seniors and disabled residents. Homeowners who live in Colorado Springs and in the Denver metro area are encouraged to apply — particularly those who live in Commerce City, Lakewood, Arvada, Englewood, and other parts of Arapahoe County.

Residents who are interested in applying for the program must be 60 years or older and/or have a disability, must own, and reside in the Denver metro area or Colorado Springs, and plan to live in their home for at least two years. To apply, click here.

“So many community members need a few home maintenance items in order to stay in their home — which statistically helps them be safer, healthier, and live longer. Painting is a maintenance item that is impossible for our clients to do physically or financially,” said Brothers Volunteer Department Director Chad Nibbelink.

Painting the exterior of a home can cost up to $5,000 — but the Paint-A-Thon Program offers income-eligible homeowners the chance to save big and devote their savings to other important costs like medication or groceries.

Throughout the Paint-A-Thon’s 44-year history, Brothers Redevelopment has painted 7,729 homes. In 2022, the program painted 94 homes with the help of 1,945 volunteers, saving homeowners $566,250.

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“The transformation that takes place on houses is incredible — but what’s priceless is what that work means to the homeowners. It makes volunteers see and feel their impact,” said Nibbelink. “The work this program does changes lives for the better.”

The Denver Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will stop accepting new first-time applications for assistance at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9.

Recertification applications submitted prior to Nov. 1 and first-time applications submitted by Dec. 9 will continue to be processed. From June 2021 to Sept. 2022, Brothers Redevelopment administered more than $4 million in rental assistance to 819 Denver households. The need for rental assistance remains high — but limited funding is available to continue the program.

According to the City of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability, the department is working to find ways to coordinate across Denver ERAP and Denver’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance Program (TRUA) to best serve residents during the transition from ERAP back to TRUA.

Denver County residents seeking access to TRUA should call Colorado Housing Connects at 1-844-926-6632 to speak to a housing navigator to determine their eligibility and start the application process.

Throughout 2022, Brothers Redevelopment helped our neighbors across Colorado find solutions to their housing-related needs.

Once again, our organization prevented evictions and foreclosures across the state; saved older adults millions of dollars in cost savings from our Aging in Place senior services program; expanded Colorado’s largest and longest Home Modification and Repair Program; painted smiles on dozens of older adults through the Paint-A-Thon Program; saw the generosity of Coloradans through Kyle Clark’s Word of Thanks campaign on 9News; built and preserved affordable housing; and much, much more.

As we close out the year, here’s a look back at our accomplishments and milestones from 2022.

Brothers provides millions of dollars across the state to vulnerable renters

The world appeared to return to as normal as possible in 2022 — but the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, combined with societal challenges like inflation, pricey rents, and an affordable housing shortage left many Coloradans in need of help.

Staff tasked with providing Rental and Mortgage Assistance answered the call and went above and beyond to keep Coloradans housed during tough economic times. This year, Brothers administered funds for rental assistance services programs, including Colorado’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the City of Denver’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance Program.

From June 2021 to November, Brothers provided over $9 million in rental assistance to 1,658 households in the state through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. In Denver, the organization provided $396,797 in rental assistance and $15,682 in utility funds through the city’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance Program from January to September.

“You helped us over and over again this year. And frankly, we wouldn’t have survived this odd time without your help,” said Wendy Muhaisen — a resident who benefited from Brothers’ rental assistance services all throughout 2022.

Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632) expands services while receiving recognition at Eagle Awards

These past few years have been very busy for Brothers’ statewide housing helpline, Colorado Housing Connects. But the helpline’s staff and housing counseling teams continued to work incredibly hard to advance housing stability across the state.

In 2022, Colorado Housing Connects proved to be an effective resource for Coloradans as the helpline received 50,670 inquiries from 60 of Colorado’s 64 counties. Coloradans received assistance with eviction/foreclosure prevention, tenant-landlord issues, housing counseling services, housing discrimination issues, and more.

Meanwhile, the helpline further equipped itself to address the region’s housing needs by launching tenant-landlord mediation programs in Adams County and Denver. The Adams County Tenant-Landlord Mediation Program works to divert parties away from court-sanctioned eviction proceedings and to work toward mutually agreed alternatives between renters and landlords like rental assistance, payment plans, lease compliance, and more. The Denver program serves for all manner of housing disputes — like maintenance issues, lease disputes, security deposit disagreements, and other disputes.

Colorado Housing Connects’ work has not gone unnoticed. In May, the helpline was awarded the Eagle Award from Housing Colorado — a non-partisan membership association dedicated to serving organizations and professionals in the affordable housing industry in Colorado.

The Eagle Award represents one of the highest achievements within the Colorado housing community and celebrates extraordinary accomplishments and outstanding leadership in housing and support services.

Aging in Place keeps/adds money to older adults’ pockets

Cost savings is by far the biggest success that Brothers’ Aging in Place senior services program has brought to older adult households.

As of Oct. 22, the Aging in Place Program has provided $847,569.33 in cost savings to older adults. When we say the program has provided $847,569.33 in cost savings, we mean that in 2022, clients are receiving monthly benefits or services that amount to a total savings of $847,569.33.

Brothers’ Aging in Place Program connects older adults to resources like Medicaid, Social Security, food assistance, rental/mortgage assistance and more. These benefits and services are resources that our clients have a right to access. But often times, we’ve found that our clients simply did not have information about benefits and resources they are entitled to.

Older adults have suffered during these past few years, particularly when it comes to savings or income. According to a 2021 survey conducted by The Commonwealth Fund — an organization that works to promote a high performing health care system — around 19% of Americans age 65+ either used up all or most of their savings or lost a job/source of income because of the pandemic.

Resident Services helps tenants in our communities access resources

While our Aging in Place program serves the broader community, Brothers’ Rental Services program serves the communities we own and manage with services to help residents who rely on us for a home.

For example, at Paris Family Apartments in Aurora — a community for families with children who have a household income at or below 60% of Average Median Income — our team brought birthday parties and presents to children, hosted National Night Out with the Aurora Police Department, and more.

In our senior communities, our residents were treated to potluck parties, performances and classes to help them manage their budgets. As the holidays kicked, off, many residents at Brothers Property Management communities were also treated to turkeys, pies, and gift cards to King Soopers for Thanksgiving.

Home Modification and Repair Program continues expansion, fulfills Brothers’ mission

It’s amazing what a repair or home modification can do for low-income older adults — just ask Colorado Springs resident Dean Reedy.

In February, Reedy’s pipes cracked, leaving him without running water for nearly a week. To get by, he used bottled water he purchased with food stamps to wash his hands and shower — until he got in touch with Brothers’ Home Modification and Repair Program. And after applying for the program, Reedy’s issues were quickly resolved when Brothers fixed his plumbing, installed a new shower and kitchen faucets, and replaced his water heater — all at no charge to him.

Reedy is one of 375 households who received services through the Home Modification and Repair Program in 2022. Brothers’ Home Modification and Repair Program is Colorado’s largest and longest running program of its kind. And it continued to grow in 2022 by expanding to cities like Aurora, Firestone, and Broomfield.

As the year closes, the program is planning to offer Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to boost safety for local businesses. Examples of this work could be adding security cameras, installing better lighting, putting up a fence, or changing the landscape of a property.

The Home Modification and Repair Program catapulted into the local spotlight in April thanks to the work of 9News reporter Kyle Clark and his Word of Thanks — a micro-giving campaign that involves Clark presenting an organization he’d like to highlight on “Next with Kyle Clark” and asking viewers to consider a $5 donation.

Thanks to Clark and the generosity of “Next with Kyle Clark” viewers, the Home Modification and Repair Program received $42,474 in donations from 1,276 donors.

Painting smiles for low-income, disabled older adults

There are a few reasons why the Paint-A-Thon has been so successful over the past 44 years.

Brothers has always been blessed with a caring volunteer department and volunteers who genuinely want to have an impact on the region’s low-income older adults. Those factors — combined with generous donors who support the Paint-A-Thon at Brothers’ annual Local Social fundraiser — are why Brothers was able to paint 94 homes in 2022 during its 44th Paint-A-Thon season.

The Paint-A-Thon had 1,945 volunteers this year who collectively spent 14,340 hours painting houses, doing yard, and visiting with Brothers’ older adult clients.

For a more thorough review of the 44th annual Paint-A-Thon, click here.

Polis takes in Valor on the Fax

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is no stranger to the impact Brothers has had on the affordable housing landscape in recent years.

In 2019, Polis and then U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson joined Brothers President Jeff Martinez for the ribbon cutting of Paris Family Apartments. Three years later, Polis and Brothers’ paths would cross again — this time at the site of Valor on the Fax.

Polis, Lieutenant Gov. Dianne Primavera and other elected/public officials joined Martinez in April for an exclusive tour of Valor on the Fax —a 72-unit supportive housing community that will open in February for people facing housing insecurity because of acquired brain injury or related disability. Valor on the Fax is being developed by Brothers in partnership with the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado — another nonprofit organization that serves people with brain injuries.

The supportive housing community will reside at 7900 E. Colfax and provide services to tenants, their families, and providers. Valor on the Fax is employing “trauma-informed design,” meaning that the building’s features are being created to reduce symptoms of brain injury.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado will provide comprehensive services to Valor on the Fax tenants like resource navigation, job training and recreational and wellness activities. Meanwhile, Brothers will manage the community and provide housing resources to tenants like rent and utility assistance, homebuyer classes and more. Tenants will also receive housing vouchers to help them pay their rent.

Construction on Valor on the Fax is expected to be finished in early 2023.

Two of the Front Range’s leading nonprofit housing organizations are teaming up to own and build more than three hundred units of permanently affordable rental housing at the former Park Hill Golf Course in Northeast Denver. If approved by City Council and Denver voters, Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. and Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS) will deliver new affordable housing as part of the proposed effort to convert the defunct golf course into new housing and more than 100 acres of new public parks and open space.

The two nonprofit organizations will serve as community development partners to Westside Investment Partners, the Denver-based company that owns the 155-acre site. In addition to owning and building new housing, the nonprofits will provide numerous wraparound services to ensure housing stability.

“With the news that Denver created just 933 income-restricted units over the past twelve months, the opportunity to build new affordable housing at the former golf course is significant,” said Jeff Martinez, President of Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. “There’s an acute affordable housing shortage in northeast Denver, and opportunities to build hundreds of affordable units, particularly our low- and fixed income neighbors in one location, are becoming exceedingly rare.”

“Together, our two organizations have owned, developed or managed more than 1,600 apartments serving low- and fixed-income residents across the Denver metro area,” said Doug Snyder, Vice President, of regional real estate development at Volunteers of America National Services. “There’s an overwhelming demand for affordable family and senior apartment homes across Denver, and we look forward to providing additional new housing opportunities and the services that keep these families and seniors housed in northeast Denver.”

The proposal to convert the former golf course, currently under consideration by Denver’s City Council, would build 2500-3200 high-quality units. Of these, more than 25% will be set aside for permanently affordable housing, with an equal number of permanently affordable rental and for-sale units. The proposal also sets aside more than two-thirds of the land, or 100+ acres, for new public parks and open space.

About Brothers Redevelopment

Established in 1971, Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. provides housing and various housing-related services to thousands of low-income, elderly and disabled residents across the state. For more information on the many services that Brothers Redevelopment offers, visit www.brothersredevelopment.org or www.coloradohousingconnects.org.

About Volunteers of America National Services

VOANS, part of the Volunteers of America family of organizations, provides affordable housing and healthcare services in over 38 states and in Puerto Rico. As one of the largest non-profit affordable housing owner/operators in the nation, the VOANS portfolio includes over 240 properties and 15,000 affordable housing units. VOANS also operates over 46 senior healthcare programs, including skilled nursing, assisted living, home health care, adult day and Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). For more information on VOANS, please visit our website at www.voans.org.

About Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America, is a national, faith-based nonprofit dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, Volunteers of America supports and empowers America’s most vulnerable groups, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including the housing and health care services provided by VOANS, Volunteers of America helps 1.5 million people in over 400 communities. For more information, visit www.voa.org

The day-to-day tasks of upkeeping a house can be difficult for anyone — especially for low-income older adults like Gail.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Gail’s husband passed away in a nursing home, and she was unable to see him due to COVID-19 protocols in place at the time. She described the incident as the most painful, frustrating experience of her life.

The two were best friends and chose not to have children, making his loss that much more devastating for her. And to make matters worse, Gail was left alone to upkeep a 50-year-old house that needed work done — especially on the exterior of the home.

Thankfully, Gail learned of Brothers Redevelopment’s Paint-A-Thon Program earlier this year. So, after applying for the program, volunteers from PCL Construction arrived at her house in August with paint buckets and brushes dressed in green shirts that read “Mission: Home Possible” — a nod to the title of Brothers’ 2022 Local Social fundraiser that the company sponsored.

The paint project was that more special for Gail because her husband worked for PCL Construction decades ago.

“They were all wonderful people. This took one of the burdens off my back because I have so many other things that need to be done on my home,” said Gail. “I didn’t want to be embarrassed with how it looked in the neighborhood. It looks so much better, and now I don’t have to worry about it.”

Gail’s house is one of 94 homes Brothers painted in 2022 during its 44th Paint-A-Thon season. The program utilizes volunteers from places like businesses, churches, and other entities to paint homes owned by low-income people, older adults, and those with disabilities.

Brothers painted houses in 17 cities this past year, including in Denver, Brighton, Colorado Springs, Thornton, Littleton, Lakewood, Englewood, Aurora, and other parts of the state.

“Paint-A-Thon had an incredible year in 2022. We saw our volunteer numbers increase by 250 and we increased our cost savings to homeowners by over $100,000,” said Brothers Volunteer Department Director Chad Nibbelink. “Perhaps even more significant were the increased interactions we saw with our homeowners and volunteers. We heard from both volunteers and homeowners that getting to know each other was one of the best parts of their Paint-A-Thon experience.”

A cause bigger than yourself

The 2022 Paint-A-Thon season wouldn’t have been possible without the selflessness of the 1,945 volunteers who collectively spent 14,340 hours painting houses, doing yard work, and visiting with Brothers’ older adult clients.

Volunteers chose to contribute their time to the Paint-A-Thon for a variety of reasons. Some painted houses in honor of loved ones like Heritage Title Company — who dedicated a Paint-A-Thon project to Kevin Lockett who passed away in July.

Others chose to volunteer for the Paint-A-Thon because they wanted to make an impact on affordable housing in Colorado — like 2022 Local Social fundraiser sponsor Native Roots who was named a Civic 50 Colorado honoree this year by CSR Solutions of Colorado. Other businesses who either fund Brothers or volunteered for the Paint-A-Thon that were recognized as a Civic 50 Colorado Honoree include Wells Fargo, who had employees volunteer for the Paint-A-Thon through its Welcome Home Initiative, Bank of America, Key Bank, and U.S. Bank.

In total, 133 volunteer teams worked to contribute to the Paint-A-Thon’s success.

“It’s a project that although it’s a lot of work in the day, you get to see the outcome of it. You get to see the transformation of a house, which is unique,” said Michelle Curry, PCL Construction District HR and Professional Development Manager. Curry has volunteered for the Paint-A-Thon four times and helped Brothers plan the Local Social.

“The homeowners have been fantastic and grateful and excited for this change. It’s just really a feel good event,” Curry added. “Ultimately it’s a day that you learn a lot, and even if you don’t think that you have the skills to do it, you really come together as part of your volunteer team. I would definitely say it’s an awesome way to tangibly give back to your community.”

Extending the life of homes for low-income, older adults

Linda Hunsberger serves as a part time caregiver for her 97-year-old mother at their Broomfield home. But the two jokingly say they care for each other, because Hunsberger has her own medical conditions.

This past year, Hunsberger had two knee replacements — making it increasingly difficult for her to maintain her home. The mother and daughter qualified for the Paint-A-Thon because of disabilities and income, and had their house painted in June by a group of teenagers from YouthWorks — a Christian organization that connects middle and high school students to mission trips.

Hunsberger said tears welled in her eyes when she realized a group of teenagers were spending part of their summer volunteering to beautify her home.

“I smile to myself when I think of Brothers Redevelopment,” said Hunsberger.

Like Hunsberger, 2022 Paint-A-Thon recipients struggled with income. The average 2022 Paint-A-Thon recipient’s income was $23,999 a year — a number that is drastically lower than Colorado’s median household income average of $75,231, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The average Paint-A-Thon project value is $6,024 — a price that would’ve cost Paint-A-Thon clients 25% of their average annual income had they paid for their houses to be painted.

“We know our volunteers care and that’s why they contribute so much to the effort. Their big hearts and hard work are why this program has been so impactful for the last 44 years,” said Nibbelink.

Brothers Redevelopment congratulates the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for celebrating its 10th anniversary of the Office of Housing Counseling.

In the past 10 years, Brothers’ housing helpline, Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632), has provided housing counseling services to over 20,000 clients throughout Colorado. Brothers employs HUD-certified housing counselors that went through certification to demonstrate proficiency in industry topics like the responsibilities of homeownership and tenancy, avoidance of foreclosure and eviction, financial management, and fair housing.

As a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, Brothers provides services to address a full range of housing counseling needs. Services include assisting homebuyers in evaluating their readiness for a home purchase and navigating the homebuying process, helping clients find affordable housing, offering financial literacy training, and providing foreclosure prevention counseling.

“It is easy to overlook just how involved housing counseling can be. When we hear from a client facing foreclosure, it isn’t about preserving an asset — it is about fighting for their home, the place where they meet their most basic needs, raise their family, and build their life,” said Colorado Housing Connects Program Director Patrick Noonan.

“Not only do our counselors respond to a client in crisis with empathy and compassion in each conversation, but they also pour hours into finding resolutions for a homeowner facing displacement. It is the small details that can determine whether a resolution is approved,” Noonan added. “Our counselors work incredibly hard to get the details right and to meet the client where they are in the moment.”

Brothers has provided housing counseling services since 1981. In 2006, the organization was selected by the Colorado Division of Housing to manage the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline. Through the hotline, Brothers brought together counseling agencies across the state to help hundreds of thousands of homeowners facing foreclosure. As a need for rental assistance grew, Brothers expanded the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline in 2014 to cover all housing topics — leading to the launch of Colorado Housing Connects.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brothers teamed up again with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and the Colorado Division of Housing to launch the Housing Counseling Assistance Program. Funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the program involves Brothers collaborating with numerous housing counseling and legal services in Colorado to assist residents with comprehensive housing counseling, housing navigation and eviction prevention.

The service is free to all Coloradans and operated through Colorado Housing Connects. Among the housing counseling and legal services who are involved in the program include Boulder County, Douglas County Housing Partnership, NEWSED, Denver’s Southwest Improvement Council, and others.

To access Brothers’ housing counseling services, call Colorado Housing Connects at 1-844-926-6632 or visit coloradohousingconnects.org.

“Whether it was helping homeowners through the foreclosure challenges of the 2012 housing crisis, responding to the housing needs of victims of disasters, or the continuing housing relief and recovery resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, housing counselors have been there over the last decade to support families in making critical housing choices and equipping themselves for the future,” said HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling David Berenbaum in a statement. “This month, we recognize not only our role in helping people stay in their homes during times of crisis, but also in supporting a network of HUD Certified Housing Counselors who serve some 3,000 clients a day.”

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