Colorado Coalition for the Homeless

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) is a Colorado nonprofit established in 1984 to work collaboratively toward preventing homelessness and creating lasting solutions for families, children, and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Based in Denver, the organization combines housing, health care, supportive services, and advocacy. It says its work is guided by the belief that all people deserve safe, adequate housing, quality health care, and opportunities for growth.

Housing is a central part of CCH’s approach. The organization provides supportive, income-restricted, and transitional housing through properties it owns and operates, and helps additional households find affordable housing through assistance and community partnerships. Its housing programs connect residents with services such as counseling, case management, life-skills training, financial literacy, and employment support. CCH describes its model as low-barrier, with rapid access to housing and follow-up support intended to help people maintain stability.

CCH also provides health care through Federally Qualified Health Centers. Its downtown Denver Stout Street Health Center brings together medical and behavioral health care, substance-use treatment, dental and vision care, and pharmacy services. The organization states that its care is designed for adults and children experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and that services are offered without regard to a patient’s ability to pay, immigration status, gender identity, ethnicity, or race.

Additional support programs include help with public-benefit applications, childcare, employment, family services, legal referrals and advocacy, street outreach, street medicine, and veterans programs. CCH’s projects include housing developments that incorporate on-site services, as well as specialized programs such as medical respite and recuperative care. The mix of services reflects the Coalition’s stated aim to address housing and health needs together rather than treating them as separate challenges.

Advocacy and community education are also part of the organization’s work. CCH shares research and information about homelessness and promotes policy and community responses it describes as smart and compassionate. Its advocacy addresses access to housing and health care and the circumstances that can contribute to housing insecurity. The organization works alongside other providers and community partners in delivering programs and pursuing its mission.

The Coalition traces its beginnings to community members who organized in response to homelessness and unmet health needs in Denver. It opened the Stout Street Clinic in 1985, the year after the organization’s establishment, and its first transitional housing building, Ruth Goebel House, in 1988. Over time, it expanded into housing development, integrated health services, and supportive programs. CCH reports operating 21 residential and transitional housing properties as of 2026.

CCH describes its workforce as a team committed to serving people experiencing homelessness and addressing complex needs. Its stated organizational values emphasize client- and patient-centered work, evidence-based practices, growth, innovation, and advocacy. The organization invites staff and community members to contribute as service providers, problem-solvers, and advocates for lasting solutions to homelessness.