Residents and DBIP participants urge Denver council to restore and expand basic income funding

Multiple participants and allies of the Denver Basic Income Project told the City and County of Denver council on June 9 that the program helped hundreds of residents secure housing and basic stability and urged the council to restore or expand funding.

Hunter Elizabeth Ambrose, community power building lead for the Denver Basic Income Project, told the council the program produced measurable housing outcomes and that many people were harmed when funding was pulled. She said '800 plus people served, 45% moved into housing' and pressed the council to 'reopen the conversation about continuing and expanding funding for DBIP.'

Other participants described personal effects. Tiara Johnson, who said DBIP helped her graduate culinary school and secure housing, urged the council to support the program because it 'gave the same people the opportunity' to stabilize and pursue work. Shaina Kozak described enrolling in DBIP after moving to Denver in 2021, obtaining health care through Denver Health, escaping an abusive relationship and gaining independence after receiving DBIP payments. Mark Gaskin, a longtime Denver resident, said DBIP prevented his aunt from becoming homeless and that he still faces financial precarity despite the program's help.

Speakers framed the discussion as both moral and practical: advocates called the program evidence-based and urged the city to weigh the human costs of funding decisions. Ambrose characterized the removal of funding for some participants as a policy failure with immediate consequences for people in need and asked council members to consider data showing housing outcomes when deciding whether to reinstate support.

No formal action was taken during the general public comment session. Commenters asked council members to bring DBIP funding back onto the agenda for discussion and to coordinate with relevant city staff about next steps.