Homeless Navigation Program

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Homelessness is a complex problem that goes beyond just not having a place to live. It is most often intrinsically tied to factors such as financial barriers, a shortage of affordable housing, mental health issues, and family conflicts. People who are homeless often have faced severe trauma, and experiencing homelessness itself is traumatizing. The combination of all of these circumstances can make it extremely difficult for individuals to navigate into secure and permanent housing. Helping homeless individuals means understanding these challenges and finding solutions that address both their immediate needs and the underlying systemic issues that may be causing and perpetuating their homelessness.


In 2020, the City of Wheat Ridge launched the Homeless Navigation Program to address the issue of rising rates of homelessness in the area. The Program joined the larger Jefferson County Homeless Navigation Collaborative, an initiative that brings together Homeless Navigators from municipalities in Jefferson County. This county-wide collaborative effort supports a cohesive and effective approach to coordinating care for those experiencing homelessness.


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Homelessness is a complex problem that goes beyond just not having a place to live. It is most often intrinsically tied to factors such as financial barriers, a shortage of affordable housing, mental health issues, and family conflicts. People who are homeless often have faced severe trauma, and experiencing homelessness itself is traumatizing. The combination of all of these circumstances can make it extremely difficult for individuals to navigate into secure and permanent housing. Helping homeless individuals means understanding these challenges and finding solutions that address both their immediate needs and the underlying systemic issues that may be causing and perpetuating their homelessness.


In 2020, the City of Wheat Ridge launched the Homeless Navigation Program to address the issue of rising rates of homelessness in the area. The Program joined the larger Jefferson County Homeless Navigation Collaborative, an initiative that brings together Homeless Navigators from municipalities in Jefferson County. This county-wide collaborative effort supports a cohesive and effective approach to coordinating care for those experiencing homelessness.


Subscribe to this page to stay updated on the Homeless Navigation Program!

  • Housing First

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    Housing First is a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. This approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or attending to substance use issues. Additionally, Housing First is based on the theory that client choice is valuable in housing selection and supportive service participation, and that exercising that choice is likely to make a client more successful in remaining housed and improving their life.

    Learn more about Housing First here:https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/

  • Homeless Navigator

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    A new county-wide homeless navigation model was launched in 2020, comprised of six municipal and county-based housing navigators who work directly with persons experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness. The shared navigator for the cities of Wheat Ridge, Golden and Edgewater began in December 2020.

    The Homeless Navigator's role is to assist those experiencing a housing crisis, find stable housing and obtain the services and resources needed to maintain that housing. They work in partnership with local business communities, constituents, metro-area non-profit providers and government agencies serving the cities of Golden, Edgewater, and Wheat Ridge. While the Homeless Navigator isn’t able to increase available housing resources, they will help people experiencing homelessness identify solutions to complex health and housing challenges and support those who are seeking a path out of homelessness. However, this is not an emergency, on-call position.

    For individuals who are at-risk, already experiencing homelessness or looking for resources and wanting to work towards stable housing, the Homeless Navigator can provide support and assistance.

Page last updated: 06 Nov 2024, 10:07 AM