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’ Resident 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.
