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Rent and Utility Help

Temporary Rental & Utility Assistance (TRUA)

Due to the high volume of TRUA applications submitted, wait times will be longer than expected.

As of March 1, 2024, households may apply for TRUA only if at least one of the following circumstances applies:

Received a court summons, writ of restitution, or eviction notice from the Denver Sheriff’s Department
Received a utility disconnection notice from Denver Water or Xcel Energy
Had to move out of your previous home within the last 90 days AND have secured a new rental unit in the City and County of Denver for move-in within the next 2 weeks

If you are unsure whether you have received a court summons, writ of restitution, or Sheriff’s notice, click here to view example documents. Applications submitted prior to March 1 will continue to be reviewed and processed in the order in which they were received and in accordance with TRUA Program guidelines. Please note: a complete application DOES NOT guarantee approval. Approval is determined based on the applicant’s eligibility and availability of program funds. As of March 1, requests for additional funding (AFRs) within the same type of assistance will not be processed.

The Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance (TRUA) Program offers three types of assistance to eligible households:

Rental Assistance – Up to 6 months of rental assistance may be provided to an eligible household one time within a 12-month period (calendar year). This may include rental arrears, the current month’s rent, and one future month’s rent.
Utility Assistance – This program provides utility assistance to Denver Water and/or Xcel Energy (electric, gas) for renters and homeowners. Utility assistance may be provided to eligible households one time per utility within a 12-month period (calendar year).
Relocation Assistance – This may include security deposit, first month’s rent, and application fees. Deposit and first month’s rent will count as one month each toward the 6-month maximum. Relocation Assistance may be provided one time (concurrently with Rental Assistance).

Apply for TRUA

Refer to the TRUA Program Guidelines(PDF, 271KB) (español(PDF, 269KB)) for more detailed information and guidance. Please note that financial assistance is not guaranteed and is subject to the applicant’s continued program eligibility and availability of program funds.

For questions and further assistance, including language access and technical support, contact the CARE Center Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm MT:

Call or text (303) 838-1200
Chat with a representative by using the yellow chat function found in the bottom right corner of the CARE Center welcome page.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

More detailed eligibility criteria are outlined in the TRUA Program Guidelines (see above).

Household income must be at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI)
Household must be experiencing a financial hardship or other housing crisis
The residence for which assistance is being requested must be the primary residence and located in both the City AND County of Denver

Minimum Documentation Requirements

Applicants must provide at least one document for each category below. Additional documents may be requested as needed, including ones not listed here. More detailed program requirements are outlined in the TRUA Program Guidelines (see above).

1. Proof of Income (for each person 18 years of age and older) can include, but is not limited to:

Pay stubs
Tax returns (most recent filing)
Bank statements

2. Evidence of Tenancy/Ownership can include, but is not limited to:

Denver property record
Signed lease agreement
Official document showing Tenant’s name and address, such as rent ledger, utility bill, driver’s license, or pay stubs

3. Evidence of Rent Due can include, but is not limited to:

Signed lease agreement
Tenant ledger
Demand or eviction notice
Past payment receipts

4. Evidence of Financial Hardship (or other housing crisis) can include, but is not limited to:

Self-attestation within the online application
Additional documents may be requested on a case-by-case basis

5. Photo Identification

Valid photo identification issued by any governmental entity (U.S. or foreign)
All other acceptable forms of identification are listed in the TRUA Program Guidelines

Appeals Policy & Form

We understand the urgency of your housing situation. If your request was denied due to ineligibility and you believe that you are eligible, you may appeal this decision to the City and County of Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) by emailing DenverTRUA@denvergov.org.

Appeal Form(PDF, 439KB) (español(PDF, 391KB))

Please write '[FirstName] [LastName] Appeal of TRUA Denial' in the message subject line and include:

Completed Appeal Form
Any relevant documentation to support your request
Your contact information
Your address
The reason(s) for denial, and
Why you believe that this determination was made in error.

Additional Partner Resources

Colorado Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program – helps homeowners get caught up on past-due housing/mobile home payments, property taxes, lot rent, insurance, and housing utilities

Colorado Housing Connects and 1-844-926-6632 – utility payment assistance, information on housing resources such as affordable housing, Tenant-Landlord Mediation services, and public benefits assistance

Denver Human Services (DHS) Emergency Assistance or 720-944-4DHS (4347) – limited emergency assistance funds available for deposit, first month rent, and rent assistance for households with a demand for rent or Eviction Notice as well as Xcel payment assistance

Energy Outreach Colorado– assistance with Xcel Energy electric or gas utilities (Denver County only)

Mile High United Way and call 211 – multilingual and confidential service that connects individuals to critical resources including food, shelter, rental assistance, childcare, and more

Sunshine Home Share Colorado – assists people above the age of 55 stay in their homes by safely matching them with someone seeking housing