According to the annual “Out of Reach” report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), “full-time workers need to earn $36.44 per hour to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent in Colorado.” As of 2026, the minimum wage in Colorado is $15.36 an hour for workers who don’t receive tips, and $12.14 an hour for workers who do.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless issued a call for further legislative action after a report from the federal government documented an uptick in homelessness both nationally and in the state.
In a talk radio interview Tuesday, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman cited a “parallel” between today’s homeless crisis and the “hippie movement of the late 60s and early 70s.”
On Monday, the Denver City Council approved the extension of two additional contracts held by the Department of Housing Stability (HOST) with motel/hotel operators to temporarily house approximately 800 people experiencing homelessness. In the midst of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, this extension is a lifeline to so many people who are unable to “stay at home” because they don’t have one. But is it enough?
I ran across this post by former state legislator turned El Paso County Commissioner Mark Waller (R) in which he claims a link between an increasing homeless population in Colorado and the legalization of cannabis. To support his view, he links to this article, which doesn’t contain a shred of supporting evidence for the claim other than anecdotal quotes and data that does not support a causal conclusion.
