Denver considering $3.2M to house pregnant migrants and young children

The city of Denver is considering spending $3.2 million to fund temporary housing for migrants who are single parents, pregnant women, or families with young children who are looking to establish a long-term residence in the city.

The Homelessness Committee for Denver has requested additional funding to temporarily house approximately 200 "newcomers" – the city's term for migrants arriving from the southern border.

Denver is set to approve the contract with the Catholic Charities and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver for $3.2 million on Wednesday, according to city documents.

“This contract is for the operation of the site of the former Mullen Home. We are currently utilizing that facility as a source of bridge housing for families with children who need additional time to transition from shelter into sustainability,” the city said in an email to The Center Square. “We recognize that everything is more difficult when it involves children, so we try to provide added support where we can.”

The Mullen Home is run by the Archdiocese of Denver and has been used by the city to house arriving migrants.

The city first experienced an influx of migrants in December 2022, which caused it to open several emergency shelters throughout the city.

The contract runs from March 23, 2024, through December 31, 2024, and will offer additional resources for the Mullen Home site, including temporary family housing, site operations and management, staffing, supplies, daily operations, and providing food for 200 individuals and babies experiencing homelessness, throughout the 90 units.

Denver has spent more than $63 million on the more than 40,000 newcomers as of April 1, according to the city's website.

City Council staff members Crystal Porter and Jenny Symons, and the Catholic Charities and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver did not respond to email seeking comment.