Previous Actions
The Durango/La Plata County Coordinating Council on Homelessness (CCH), the 18-member multi-stakeholder council established in July 2021, has overseen significant progress on implementing key elements of the Durango/La Plata County Strategic Plan on Homelessness (highlights below).
The CCH’s primary objective is to make homelessness in Durango & La Plata County rare, brief, and one-time whenever it cannot be prevented entirely. The Council is tasked with implementing the City and County's Strategic Plan on Homelessness (released in January 2020) through the coordinated efforts of its member organizations, and through its support of local public and private initiatives on homelessness. The Strategic Plan’s Actionable Management Plan has five strategic themes: Housing and Shelter, Health and Other Support Services, Safe and Clean Community, Connected Community and Work that Works. The CCH has created SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for the strategies in these themes to guide its collective impact approach to addressing the complex and interconnected issues of homelessness in our community. The CCH conducted a mid-year review of its collective progress in meeting these goals in January 2022 and is now sharing this update with the public.
To highlight some of the CCH member organization achievements, we would like to celebrate:
The CCH’s primary objective is to make homelessness in Durango & La Plata County rare, brief, and one-time whenever it cannot be prevented entirely. The Council is tasked with implementing the City and County's Strategic Plan on Homelessness (released in January 2020) through the coordinated efforts of its member organizations, and through its support of local public and private initiatives on homelessness. The Strategic Plan’s Actionable Management Plan has five strategic themes: Housing and Shelter, Health and Other Support Services, Safe and Clean Community, Connected Community and Work that Works. The CCH has created SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for the strategies in these themes to guide its collective impact approach to addressing the complex and interconnected issues of homelessness in our community. The CCH conducted a mid-year review of its collective progress in meeting these goals in January 2022 and is now sharing this update with the public.
To highlight some of the CCH member organization achievements, we would like to celebrate:
- A key objective of the Strategic Plan was the establishment of a Resource Center for people experiencing homelessness, to provide access to a host of resources in a single location and thereby increase timeliness and efficacy of services. Manna was awarded the contract with Durango/La Plata County to establish and operate this Resource Center, which opened in March 2022.
- Housing Solutions for the Southwest opened Espero Apartments, the first standalone supportive housing project in Southwest Colorado in November of 2021. Espero provides 40 apartments and supportive services on-site for people exiting homelessness, with a disabling condition. The project is a true team effort, with the City of Durango providing the land and many local organizations providing supportive services, including AXIS Health System, Manna and many other community partners providing funding and services for residents.
- The City of Durango’s sponsorship of the Best Western hotel site for the purpose of redeveloping the site for affordable housing. The City has selected a developer, TWG, whose goal is to have 120 units available for lease in 2024. These units are intended for individuals and families whose income levels are equal to or less than 60% of the median income earned in La Plata County. With support from Project Moxie, the project has already received $10 million.