Community Investments

Livable

Housing & Human Services

FY2024 Budget

Program Budget Overview

Description

  • Community Investment and Compliance staff work to provide millions of dollars annually through technical assistance and compliance monitoring to housing partners and community-serving agencies. Staff manage all US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulatory compliance, reporting, planning, and Annual Action Plan submittal. This team works with the Home Investment Partnerships Grant (HOME) local Consortium to allocate annual HOME funding across Boulder and Broomfield counties and is also charged with ensuring that all environmental review is completed for all projects funded through federal funding. Local and federal funds including the Affordable Housing Fund help create and preserve affordable housing. Federal community development funding facilitates capital improvements to community facilities and supports programs serving low- and moderate-income community members. Grants from the Human Services Fund, Health Equity Fund, Substance Education and Awareness Fund and Human Relations Fund collectively support roughly 100 community programs including those providing health and wellness services, increasing food security and nutrition, childcare and academic assistance, cultural engagement and education, and substance use prevention.

Summary of 2024 Budget Enhancements/Realignments:

  • $415,000 in ongoing enhancements for community grant funding through the Health Equity Fund to support community members with health disparities.
  • $137,000 in ongoing funding to help address family homelessness prevention through the Emergency Family Assistance Association's (EFAA) Keep Families Housed program.
  • $25,000 in increased funding for community-initiated activities focused on raising awareness of civil rights, human rights, or equity issues in Boulder, funded through the newly restructured Human Relations Fund.

Sustainability, Equity and Resilience (SER) Goals & Objectives: Livable

  • Objectives
    • Cultivates a wide range of recreational, cultural and social opportunities for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual identity, ability, or socioeconomic status.
    • Supports the physical and mental well-being of its community members by providing public gathering places and programs to encourage social connection and prevent isolation.
    • Fosters racial equity, inclusion, and diversity community wide.
    • Supports community members who are unhoused or underhoused to navigate systems, programs, and services to achieve housing security.
    • Provides assurance of regulatory and policy compliance and seeks to influence other levels of government to ensure policy and regulations are equitable.
    • Enhances and facilitates transparency, accuracy, efficiency, effectiveness, and quality customer service in all city business.

Program Outcomes

  • The Community Investments program is aligned with HHS Strategic Goals including:
    • All caregiving, food, health care, transportation, and housing short-term outcomes.
    • Increased housing security (long-term).
    • Sustained or increased service capacity among community-based programs and activities led by and for people with diverse identities.
    • Increased cultural competency among HHS staff.
    • Increased percentage of city residents who report feeling that Boulder is open/accepting of them (long-term).

Measurements

  • HHS staff collects regular performance reports from grantees. This data is collected to gauge community need (increasing or decreasing) and if the funds are having the desired long-term outcomes outlined in the Human Services Fund, Human Relations Fund, Health Equity Fund, and Substance Education and Awareness Fund.
    • The # and diversity of households that report increased economic stability, mobility and resilience.
    • Program participants who have obtained or maintained housing.
    • Program participants who were able to access childcare or health care services.
    • # of constituent-led organizations applying for and receiving Human Relations funding.
    • Range of diverse events offered and supported through the Human Relations Fund.
    • Increased food security.
    • Increased access to health and wellness services, increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and increased physical fitness and well-being.
    • Connections to public benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare.
  • Compliance Measures
    • Reduced HUD findings.
    • % successful agency monitoring sessions.
    • Increased participation in public hearing and engagement opportunities.