Nonprofits and residents urge Adams County to restore TANF-funded rental and mortgage assistance

Dozens of residents, nonprofit staff and service providers told the Adams County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 12 that the county's decision not to renew certain Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) contracts has reduced the county's ability to prevent homelessness.

Veronica Perez, chief executive officer of Growing Home, said the agency's housing stability program previously prevented hundreds of Adams County residents from losing housing. "We are asking you to restore our contracts and other organizations like ours so that we can continue to provide these critical services to families that are an immediate, piece of becoming homeless," Perez said. She said the program had served nearly 400 Adams County households in the past three years, covering more than 1,500 people including 861 children, and that 69% of those households remained stably housed after exiting the program.

Speakers representing Almost Home, Growing Home, school districts and other service providers made three repeated requests: restore rental and mortgage assistance funding that had been provided through TANF contracts; engage directly with people with lived experience and frontline service providers when planning solutions; and act quickly so nonprofit program infrastructure is not lost.

Delaney Ko, deputy director at Almost Home, said her organization and partners have built multi-year service infrastructure that would be difficult to rebuild quickly. Ko told commissioners that programs funded historically through TANF have been effective at keeping families housed and that a delay in funding risks losing staff and program capacity. Other presenters offered program-level figures: Almost Home reported sheltering 69 families last year and that roughly two-thirds exited into permanent housing; Almost Home's housing-stability program reportedly processed about 300 applications per month and kept 548 households'utilities on last year, with 98% of respondents still housed after 90 days. Growing Home staff and volunteers described food pantry operations and parenting education services alongside housing stability work.

Several speakers cited the county's own April report, "Addressing Homelessness in Adams County: Current Efforts and the Next Steps," saying the county's staff recommendations call for investment in prevention and that the contracts were consistent with the report's direction. Speakers also warned that federal and state cuts are cascading: commissioners referenced HR1 and various federal funding reductions and said those actions are constraining county options.

Commissioners thanked speakers, acknowledged the presentations and said the TANF funding shortfall is a top priority. Chair Commissioner Baca and Commissioner Pinter said the board will discuss TANF and related human-services budget issues during a study session scheduled later the same afternoon and that commissioners are pursuing conversations with state and federal leaders about the impacts. Commissioner Pinter cited outreach to federal representatives and said the board has been pressing for changes at higher levels. No formal board action to restore contracts was taken at the Aug. 12 meeting; commissioners said further discussion and options will be considered in the study session.

Speakers (selected) included Veronica Perez (CEO, Growing Home), Ming Montoya Tang (resident/entrepreneur), Bev Bishop (volunteer and longtime resident), Mary Beth Pascal (volunteer with Growing Home), Denise Granillo (Growing Home/community organizer and person with lived experience), Lily Capitan (program director, Almost Home), Delaney Ko (deputy director, Almost Home), Olga Lopez (director of programs, Growing Home), Ellie Baker (Adams 12 Five Star Schools, wraparound facilitator), and Kimberly Stack (parent educator, Growing Home). Many presenters told personal stories to illustrate how rental and mortgage assistance prevented eviction and supported rapid rehousing.

Commissioners said they are aware of the issue and will continue discussions. No vote or immediate funding decision was made on Aug. 12.