Amid a surge in eviction filings in Denver, the City Council approved two contracts on Monday to continue providing free legal services for people facing removal from their home.
The contracts, which will span the next three years, are between the city’s Department of Housing Stability with Colorado Legal Services and the Colorado Poverty Law Project for about $1.2 million and $3 million, respectively.
They will serve an average of 1,600 households per year.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were about 8,800 eviction filings annually on average, according to city officials. Filings have increased since then. In 2024, there were nearly 16,000.
The city’s free legal services are for households facing imminent eviction in Denver County and who are at or below 80% of the area median income.
Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez asked to postpone another contract with the Community Economic Defense Project, in the hopes of learning about a conflict between the group and one of her constituents. That contract is for $2.8 million and estimates serving 1,033 households per year.
Another contract with Colorado Affordable Legal Services for about $770,000 is set to be considered in a future meeting.
All four contracts combined represent about $7.8 million in eviction services over the next three years.
City officials also to people facing evictions on weekdays between 8 a.m. and noon in Room 163 of the Denver City and County Building.
