A virtual meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 10 at 6 p.m. and an in-person open house is planned for Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Barn at 910 N. 12th Street. Both public meetings will provide opportunities for community members to share their thoughts about interim housing regulations, including potential locations, site design, and management.
An Interim Housing Work Group was established to study the options for Grand Junction, composed of members who are business leaders, executives of non-profits, individuals having experienced being unhoused, representatives from faith communities, service providers, and city staff including personnel from the Grand Junction Police and Fire Departments.
At the public meetings, city staff will share information gathered by the Interim Housing Work Group about other successful programs where these temporary shelters and parking sites are thoughtfully and safely managed.
Additional information about interim housing is available on EngageGJ.org/Interim-Housing. The project page on EngageGJ.org acts as an interactive platform for engagement, inviting community members to participate in the discussion while also providing feedback on potential interim housing code development and opportunities.
Interim housing is a term used to describe different types of temporary shelters for those who are unhoused – either chronically or temporarily. This can include places like safe outdoor spaces, areas for vehicle parking, and interim shelters. These shelters are not meant to be permanent buildings but instead serve temporarily as safe locations until more permanent housing solutions can be identified. Interim housing is a newer approach being utilized across the country in response to the housing crisis.
Over the past 18 years, the city has made a significant investment towards housing and the needs of the unhoused community. Just in the past two years, the City has committed $19 million in direct funding, which includes $4.45 million in awarded grants. This investment has been instrumental in leveraging more than $43 million from partners, resulting in a total housing investment of $62 million. This funding encompasses capital projects, operational support for service providers, emergency assistance during COVID, funding for housing and homeless projects, matching and securing grants for housing initiatives, and actively expanding the city's role in addressing housing and houselessness issues. More information about interim housing