DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Housing Connects, a statewide helpline for those seeking housing assistance, is facing an unprecedented, historic number of calls.

In the 17 years Colorado Housing Connects has been helping Colorado residents, it has never seen so many calls coming in.

“Not only do we see it in our numbers but we see it in the desperation of the people reaching out for help,” Patrick Noonan, the program’s director said.

In August alone, they received 8,073 requests for assistance. Those inquiries represent a 60% increase in clients reaching out to Colorado Housing Connects compared to Aug. 2022 when the housing helpline received 5,047 inquiries.

Last month, 66% of inquiries submitted to Colorado Housing Connects were from Colorado renters seeking eviction prevention resources and rental/utility assistance.

“Honestly it’s pretty hard to keep up so we are doing everything we can from developing affordable housing to providing rental assistance and mortgage assistance,” Noonan said. “Trying to help people understand and identify what resources are out there to help them stay in their home.”

CHC said eviction filings and the rise in homelessness support the number of calls they’re seeing. In fact, these numbers are surpassing what they saw during the height of the recession when foreclosures reached an all-time high in Colorado.

Colorado Housing Connects says it’s time to support organizations like theirs to push the needle forward on housing stability in our state.

“We need to come together as a community to bring more resources to bear to help people stabilize and always recover and transcend this crisis moment for them,” Noonan said.

Brothers Redevelopment, the housing nonprofit that operates CHC, offers a variety of other resources to struggling renters including Denver’s Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance Program.

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance you can reach out via phone or on their website.