Housing needs are a big discussion right now. Affordable, Fair Market Housing, Low-income, permanent supportive housing, Section 8 Vouches, these terms are being used regularly and can be confusing.
Affordable Housing, as defined by HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development), is a house for which the occupant(s) is/are paying no more than 30 percent of his or her income for gross housing costs, including utilities.
Market Housing, as the name implies, is driven by what the market of a given area will bear. In Greeley, the market has seen a significant increase. The City of Greeley project that 2024 rents will increase 3.1% over 2023. Currently, the average 2 bedroom apartment in Greeley is $1617/mo. This means a family must earn at least $20/hour to qualify for the rent.
Low Income is more about the tenant and less about the house. A low-income household makes less than 80% of the area median income (AMI). In 2023, the Weld County area median income for a family of four was $83,840. The families that we help at Greeley Family House make 30% of AMI which means $26,052 for a family of four. This means that the maximum rent they can afford is $651/month.
Permanent Supportive Housing: Colorado Division of Housing defines Permanent Supportive Housing (known as PSH) as an intervention that aims to support the most vulnerable households, including those experiencing chronic homelessness, by combining permanent affordable housing units with access to wrap-around supportive services tailored to meet residents’ needs.
Greeley and Weld County is in need of more permanent supportive housing having 3 and 4 bedrooms due to the size of the families being served. With more bedrooms, the rents are significantly higher, while the wages remain constant.
Most housing programs also include supportive services and case management. These supportive measures assist the participants in being successful in finding – and keeping – housing. The Greeley Family House works with families to seek and obtain all of these different levels of housing based on what is best for each individual family.