#Denver Property Management

[hag-o-hags]

confession time lads I am officially a Landlord I will turn in my shoelaces and be gay do crime stickers on my way out

[reprofessionals]

Find Your Perfect Home for Sale in Denver, CO

Are you in the market for a new home? Look no further than Denver, CO! With its stunning mountain views, vibrant culture, and booming job market, Denver is the perfect place to settle down and find your dream home for sale in Denver, CO. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to upgrade to a larger space, Denver has something for everyone. Keep reading to discover why Denver, CO is the perfect place to buy a home.

Why Denver, CO, Is the Perfect Place to Buy a Home

Denver, CO, stands out as a premier location for homeownership, thanks to its enviable combination of natural beauty and urban sophistication. The city is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, boasting easy access to skiing, hiking, and biking, ensuring an active lifestyle is always within reach. Cultural aficionados will appreciate Denver’s rich arts scene, including numerous galleries, live music venues, and theaters that showcase its dynamic creative community. Food lovers will revel in the city’s culinary diversity, with a spectrum of choices ranging from innovative food trucks to gourmet dining experiences. Denver’s robust economy, characterized by a flourishing job market and a vibrant startup scene, provides ample employment opportunities, adding to the city’s allure for potential homeowners. This blend of outdoor recreation, cultural wealth, and economic stability makes Denver, CO, an irresistible choice for those seeking to purchase a home.

Understanding Denver's Real Estate Market

Navigating the real estate market in Denver, CO, requires insight and strategy due to its competitive nature. Despite the brisk pace of sales and the trend of increasing prices, opportunities abound for discerning buyers. The key to success lies in partnering with a real estate agent who is deeply familiar with Denver’s diverse neighborhoods and market dynamics. Such an expert can provide invaluable guidance, from identifying promising listings to negotiating favorable terms on your behalf. By leveraging their expertise, you can efficiently pinpoint a home that aligns with both your lifestyle preferences and budgetary constraints. This approach not only streamlines the search process but also positions you advantageously in Denver’s bustling property scene.

The Best Neighborhoods to Consider in Denver

Denver’s tapestry of neighborhoods each offers a distinctive living experience, catering to various lifestyles and preferences. Cherry Creek stands out for its upscale shopping and dining scene, making it a magnet for those seeking a sophisticated urban lifestyle. Capitol Hill, with its historic homes and proximity to the State Capitol, attracts a diverse community interested in the arts and local politics. LoDo (Lower Downtown) is the heartbeat of Denver’s nightlife and sports scene, offering loft-style apartments and proximity to Coors Field and Union Station. Highlands, on the other hand, appeals to families and young professionals alike with its eclectic mix of modern and Victorian homes, coupled with a vibrant mix of restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Exploring these neighborhoods reveals the unique character and opportunities each has to offer, allowing prospective buyers to envision their life in one of the best locales Denver, CO, has to present.

Essential Tips for First-Time Home Buyers in Denver

Embarking on the journey of purchasing your first home in Denver’s competitive market necessitates careful planning and astute decision-making. It’s vital to secure a mortgage pre-approval early on, giving you a realistic understanding of your financial capabilities and setting clear boundaries for your home search. Delve into the diverse neighborhoods of Denver, as each has its unique charm and offerings, to pinpoint the area that best suits your lifestyle and aspirations. Regular attendance at open houses will not only deepen your understanding of the market but also refine your preferences and must-haves. Partner with a reputable real estate agent, whose expertise in the local market can be invaluable in navigating the complexities of home buying and in making informed decisions. This strategic approach will streamline your journey toward finding a home that not only meets your requirements but also supports your dreams of homeownership in Denver.

How to Find Your Dream Home in Denver

Embarking on the quest for your dream home in Denver involves a blend of vision, patience, and strategic action. Start by delineating your home priorities, distinguishing between essential features and those you can compromise on. This clarity will streamline your search and ensure your focus remains on properties that truly fit your needs. Engage actively in the exploration of Denver’s varied neighborhoods, taking note of the atmosphere and community vibe in each. This hands-on approach not only acquaints you with the potential areas you could call home but also refines your criteria, based on real experiences. Regular visits to open houses within your chosen locales can further hone your preferences, providing a tangible sense of the market and what you can expect within your budget. Collaboration with a seasoned real estate agent who understands Denver’s unique market nuances becomes your greatest asset. They can offer tailored advice, highlight off-market opportunities, and skillfully navigate negotiations. This partnership amplifies your chances of discovering a home that resonates with your vision, in a city known for its dynamic living experiences.

Conclusion

In summary, Denver, CO, offers an unparalleled blend of beauty, culture, and opportunity, making it an ideal place to purchase a home. Whether you’re drawn to the breathtaking mountain views, the thriving job market, or the vibrant cultural scene, Denver has something to cater to every preference and lifestyle. As you embark on your home-buying journey, remember the importance of understanding the local real estate market, considering the unique character of Denver’s diverse neighborhoods, and preparing strategically as a first-time buyer. With patience, diligence, and the right guidance from a seasoned real estate agent, you can navigate Denver’s competitive housing landscape to find your dream home. Embrace the adventure ahead, and welcome the possibility of calling Denver, CO, your new home.

Contact Us:

Address - 10200 E. Girard Ave Suite B-230 Denver, CO 80231

Email - levent@professionalcolorado.com

Phone - (720) 229-2224

Fax - 720-294-0333

Website - RE Professionals

Blog - Find Your Perfect Home for Sale in Denver, CO

[avenuewestdenver]

Discover the difference with AvenueWest Denver, your trusted partner in Denver property management rentals. We specialize in providing exceptional property management services, ensuring your rental experience is seamless and stress-free. Whether you're a property owner seeking professional management or a renter looking for a well-maintained home, AvenueWest Denver delivers top-notch solutions tailored to your needs. Learn More:https://denver.avenuewest.com/property-management/

[airsimplicityco]

Unlocking the Secrets to Successful Vacation Rental Management in Denver

Discover how Air Simplicity transforms the challenges of vacation rental management in Denver into opportunities. Our blog article highlights our comprehensive services, from marketing and guest communication to maintenance and legal compliance. Learn how our local market insights and data-driven strategies can help you maximize rental income and achieve stress-free success in Denver’s booming tourism market.

[realpropcolorado]

Full-Service Property Management Colorado

We handle all aspects of leasing and managing your property.

We offer free Rental Analysis.

We prepare your property.

We advertise your property.

We help you find a great fit for your rental property.

We handle the coordination of the final contract.

We offer full-service management.

Visit us at realpropertymanagementcolorado.com for more details.

[iww-gnv]

A federal administrative judge with the National Labor Relations Board -- which oversees labor issues and allegations of unfair workplace practices -- ruled on Tuesday that Starbucks unlawfully fired two Colorado baristas who were involved in organizing a union at their locations and in a recommended order, said the company should rehire them and give them back pay. Judge Mara-Louise Anzalone ruled that Starbucks unlawfully terminated Ryan Dinaro from a Denver location and Joseph Mathis in Colorado Springs due to their union activities, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act. "I am planning to return to Starbucks to fight for a contract because my coworkers deserve better," Dinaro said in a statement released by Starbucks Workers United. "They deserve stable hours so they can consistently keep healthcare and tuition. They deserve safety committees to remind management that attempted robbery, menacing, and assault on property is not normal, and security upgrades are desperately needed. They deserve a standard pay raise schedule so they don't need to beg management."

[bobfloydsbabe]

Back again to share that I just thought of Rhett riding a horse around the property with his little girls sitting in front of him.

Also Denver being protective of Hazel & Olive and always sleeping between the cribs or at Rhett's feet if he's holding them.

My brain has been all twin girl dad Rhett for days now, so I took your second headcanon and ran with it. So, enjoy this cute and sappy 500 word blurb. Love you!

“Hey,” Rhett half-whispers as he picks Hazel up from her crib, holding on to Olive who’s already on his other arm. “There we go.”

Juggling one baby is hard, but twins are a different thing entirely. He manages, though, and after three months, he may even have the hang of it. So picking up both of them, carrying them downstairs and out onto the porch, doesn’t feel all that intimidating anymore.

He sits on a chair, adjusting his hold on each of the girls, and leans back. The weather’s getting colder now, but on this day the sun beats down from a bright blue sky, not a cloud in sight, and there’s nothing Rhett likes more than this view and his daughters nestled against him.

The sound of paws padding across wooden floors comes from inside the house, and the next moment Denver, the black and white Border Collie, appears on the porch. He’s much older now than when he first met Lou and her loyal companion, his muzzle growing whiter by the day.

Denver raises his head, sniffing each of the girls’ hair, and then settles at his feet. Rhett remembers the first time he found Denver sleeping between the cribs, keeping watch over the youngest and most vulnerable members of his pack. His family. He’d taken a picture and Lou cried when he showed her.

Knowing Denver would protect them with his life makes it easier to sleep at night. 

He’s not sure how long he sits there. Both his daughters wake up at some point, making Denver shoot to his feet to check on them. He sniffs their heads again and leans his muzzle on Rhett’s thigh, just looking at the girls as they coo and smile. Hazel even grabs hold of one of his ears and yanks hard, but Denver doesn’t flinch–he just places a gentle lick on her cheek.

Eventually they fall back asleep and Denver settles back down. His arms are sore from holding them so long in the same position, but he doesn’t have it in him to move. Not even when Lou pulls into the driveway.

He watches her walk around the truck, taking in the sight of him. A fond smile spreads across her beautiful and tired face as she crosses the drive and joins him in the chair next to his.

“Want me to take them?”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Maybe just one,” he agrees.

Standing, she reaches for Olive, who’s closest and once the weight is off him, blood rushes back to his fingers, and he can finally adjust Hazel’s position.

He turns his head towards Lou, who’s smiling down at her sleeping daughter. Rhett feels his heart swell at the sight, and his thoughts drift to the velvet box in the back of their closet wrapped in an old flannel.

They’re doing everything backwards, but Rhett doesn’t mind. It fits who they are. Restless souls who found each other at the right time, and the life they’ve built only makes sense with her.

It will only ever make sense with her.

TWIN GIRL DAD RHETT SUPREMACY. That's it. That's the thought.

[beardedmrbean]

A Colorado management company has shared brutal surveillance footage and a photo of a bloodied employee to illustrate its ongoing problem with a violent Venezuelan migrant gang.

Brooklyn-based CBZ Management, which operates 11 complexes in Colorado, has said that members of Tren de Aragua commandeered entire apartment buildings in Aurora by threatening its employees and tried to extort the company for a cut of rent money in exchange for their continued operation of the properties.

One of the company's buildings made national headlines earlier this year after surveillance footage showed a heavily-armed group of men, allegedly members of the Venezuelan prison gang, making their way through The Edge at Lowry apartments and speaking in Spanish.

The most recent footage shows one of CBZ's representatives being assaulted after he refused to accept a bribe at the Whispering Pines Complex at the end of 2023, the company told Fox 31.

The company wrote on X that the employee found a group of male squatters in a recently vacated apartment and would not accept $500 to "overlook the situation."

The man was beaten so severely that he had to be treated at a hospital, the company said.

"I think they were trying to kill me. I don’t know how I got out, but I got out," that representative, whose bloodied photograph was shown by the management company on X, told Fox 31.

After the attack, the company said, the employee began to receive threats via text message that included his home address and spouse's name.

A police report from the incident obtained from the 18th Judicial District Court by Denver 7 shows that one of the company's property managers was assaulted by documented Tren de Aragua member Yoendry Vilchez Medina-Jose in November 2023. It was not immediately clear if that was the same incident.

After the incident, the company said its representatives met with members of the FBI. The agency allegedly confirmed that members of Tren de Aragua were behind the text messages and the building takeovers but that the issue was a "blip on the radar" due to the Venezuelan gang's growing national presence.

The FBI could not immediately be reached for comment.

CBZ also said that the gangs took over a tenant's apartment while on vacation, forcing the tenant to find a new place to live when he returned home.

"Gangs have taken control of several of our properties in Aurora, Colorado," the company wrote in a thread on X last week. "In an attempt to discredit this fact for political purposes and avoid governmental accountability, some have spread false information about our situation."

The firm said that it has had to pull its workers back from its apartment complexes in Aurora.

"Despite clear evidence, many still deny the reality of the situation, sometimes using us as scapegoats. That’s why we are no longer staying silent," the company wrote. "We will continue to counter falsehoods with simple facts and evidence. Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story."

The Aurora Police Department told Denver 7 that it has "not yet obtained evidence of a gang takeover at any CBZ properties."

"We’ve acknowledged it’s likely gang members have and/or are residing at CBZ properties, but as you know from experience you could say the same about a lot of different gangs and a lot of different properties throughout the metro area," a representative told the outlet.

Likewise, a spokesperson for Aurora told the New York Post that the company's claims were "exaggerations."

"These delinquent property owners, managers and/or ‘investors’ conveniently fail to acknowledge that their own bank lenders took them to court in the last few weeks where a judge ordered some of their problematic properties into receivership," the spokesperson said. "That means a judge has given the legal authority to a third-party receiver to actually manage the properties, and who the property owners will be forced to compensate."

Last Friday, former President Donald Trump visited Aurora and linked the alleged gang problems in the city to the Biden-Harris administration's border policies.

According to Denver 7, CBZ Management has a history of citations dating back to 2020, with violations ranging from mice infestations to dozens of illegally parked cars to ceiling damage. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman characterized the management company as "slumlords," KDVR reported.

"It’s a little late to play the Venezuelan gang card," Coffman said. "Certainly, there are other parts of the city that we’re looking at, that we’re concerned about that. But the problems in this building certainly precede any problems with Venezuelan gangs."

CBZ Management said that the city "drummed up 'code violations'" to cover up the presence of the foreign gang, according to its posts on X. The company said it "received a perfect inspection in 2022 and 2023," and that any violations have been "dealt with."

"The only violations that weren’t dealt with were when the gangs took over and we didn’t want our 6 on-site staff working there — for their safety," the company said.

Media and government officials are downplaying the impact of Venezuelan gangs in Aurora, one woman who moved out of her apartment earlier this year due to increasing violence told Fox News Digital.

"I feel like it's a slap in the face," Cindy Romero said. "How many gangs is OK to have in Aurora? How many properties is OK to take over? How many people, who are citizens paying their bills, is it OK to displace?"

[wolfalder]

What would you consider to be an ethically sourced tail? Where might somebody purchase an ethically sourced tail?

Thank you so much for asking!!! 🐾

Personally I believe It should either: Be sourced as a by-product of the food industry, Transform a waste product to give it value, such as the reclaiming fur from animals culled for environmental management, Minimise waste by re-manufacturing vintage pieces or using surplus manufacturing material, instead of only using new material. There are other options such as taxidermy from ranched animals which were stillborn or died from illness or other natural causes. Byproducts of roadkill, pest management, and wildlife population control which are done in a sustainable manner that keeps the natural population at a healthy and maintainable level. Also if there is no unnecessary pain or cruelty that’s inflicted and killing of said animal involves minimal waste and has a purpose other than simply their fur.

And I know there is the argument that we don’t need to kill animals to make clothing because of course there are other materials to keep us warm, but the best of them (wool, down, leather) also come from animals. Meanwhile, most synthetic fibers (including fake or “faux” fur) are derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, the extraction and transformation of which entails serious environmental risks.

In many regions, wildlife populations must be culled annually to maintain healthy and stable populations, to preserve habitat, to protect endangered species (e.g., by culling predators that attack ground-nesting birds or sea turtle eggs), and to safe-guard human health, livestock and property. If furbearer populations must be culled, surely it is more ethical to use these animals than to discard them?

Farmed minks manure, soiled straw bedding and carcasses are composted to produce organic fertilizers, to enrich the soil and produce more food, completing the agricultural nutrient cycle. Biofuels made from mink remains now power buses in Aarhus, Denmark, the world’s largest producer of farmed mink. Similar projects are being tested in North America.

Now after all that here are some options for furs/tails. Though please do your own research into each small business or company you buy from.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SterlingFoxTaxidermy

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChimeraTaxidermyAU

[sekritjay]

Been the bad kind of busy for me, the kind that keeps me away from tumblr, one of the few ways I get something resembling social contact in my life for a couple of reasons

First is BG3 (thanks Moose!) - starting an honour mode playthrough but because I'd been playing with the more companions mod (for that juicy, juicy banter) it completely breaks the difficulty in half. A full party, even without Wither's Jaegering a dead body is capable of taking out bosses within a couple of rounds but honestly I feel like I'm only getting half a game if I'm only hanging around with three other degenerates.

At least with Honour Mode I do have to put in a token amount of thinking before I twin-Haste Lae'Zel and Karlach in to alphastrike Denver Gortex before he can summon Daddy in to give him a hand

Second reason I can't really be around is because on the 1st of January I took the decision to completely shut down the restaurant

It's taking me more than a month to disentangle all the legalities and administration of winding down a 40 year old business while trying to bat away all the creditors asking for money on top of doing things like redundancy payments. Only just untangled my electricity bill and I'm actully glad that's over because they wanted me to drop £8,000 to settle arrears instead of the 10% we eventually agreed upon. And somehow my gas company just shrugged and let the bill lapse instead of chasing me for it

Ironically and bafflingly, the most persistent debt chasers have been the music licence people and my credit control leasers - My bills for energy, water and redundancy payments came to just over 20k, of which I'm only really paying in full for the redundancies

For the music licence and CC lease? £300. They're sending the bailiffs over £300. I'm inclined to let them come since they'll be sending collectors to force me to hand over all the nothing that company is left with. They're certainly not legally able to come after my money and even if they were I can claim that taxes and the 'property lease' take legal precedence

My main concern however is personal. The money is... painful but ultimately all these people are after the company's money. There's a certain degree of apathy and clarity in knowing that the money men can't get me to sink any lower. No, in my case it's that fact that I've been involved in the family business in some capacity since I was 14 years old. 20-odd years, 12 in management, and six years doing 60 hours 7 days a week... and it ends with a whimper

How do I move on not knowing anything else other than this life? I don't know what I'm good at, nor where I could go. Don't know who to talk to, or what I could do next. I don't even know what weekends are for, or indeed really what else to do with all the time on my hands beause historically my time off.... wasn't

I really oughtn't put all my eggs in the Canada thing, but at the same time it's the only thing I've truly wanted in... over a decade I guess. Despite knowing it's a miniscule crumb of a chance. And I dread what would happen if it doesn't work out. Or indeed, if it does

FIrst steps is getting my unemployment benefit sorted. That'll be difficult since I was self-employed. Next would be to decide between getting a job, a career or scrape together some cash from... somewhere and go study... only I don't know what I'd like to do

Ffffffffssspspsppssss. At least tumblr is a sympathetic but disinterested ear to vent to. I honestly am clueless what to do

[reprofessionals]

Our dedicated property management team offers comprehensive services, from marketing your property to handling repairs. Sit back, relax, and watch your investment grow. 

[lifeinahole27]

I promise I'm alive

Eventually, I'm gonna sit down and write out where I've been for the last six months. I owe a huge apology to @grimmswan for never finishing her Christmas fic, first and foremost. And mostly I just wanted to let everyone know I'm still around. Here's the Sparknotes:

Last June, I got passed over for a promotion to AGM at the hotel I was working at. I was promoted instead to "Front Office Manager" and finally got to move to a daytime schedule after we found a new auditor to replace me.

On September 1, I had to fire my first employee ever - that same auditor that I was so excited to replace me - and so that was a fun experience. It meant that I was back to splitting audit duties with the other guy.

We tried to get one of the other desk agents to learn audit. The first attempt did not go well. He was supposed to cover during the weekend of my brother's wedding when I was off work and I genuinely don't remember how we worked the schedule for that now, but I know it was tenuous for a minute.

That same guy that didn't do well on the audit quit via text message the week of Thanksgiving, when the General Manager was on vacation, essentially fucking the rest of us for the rest of the week. He was my best friend at the job. I have not spoken to him since.

At Christmastime, the AGM essentially yelled at me as if I was a child for correcting her on something that she was doing improperly. Her mindset was that she had been working (at another property) for 15 years so she knew how to do her job and there's more than 1 way to do something and I needed to accept that. (Fun sidenote: I had been at that property for almost 4 years and she was doing something wrong. That's the fun thing about different properties. What works at one may not work the same at another.)

After that incident, I was job hunting. I finally got to go to a Christmas luncheon at this hotel (I was always working audit in the years before, so I had never gone before) but I was so miserable the entire time I was there but did a great job acting.

I was forced to work until 12:30am on NYE because my manager was convinced it was going to be a busy day. As I had worked NYE twice before and J had worked it once, we knew it was not going to be busy enough for two people. But still I was forced to work the one day I hate working (thanks to SA memories) and that was the final straw for me.

On January 4, I got a call from the company I had applied to at the recommendation of one of my previous GMs from my old hotel. A few days later, I did a pre-interview/info session with the Talent Manager. Two days after that, I did my interview with a group of managers. And on January 10, I handed in my notice to the hotel.

January 30, I left the hotel at 7:15am, no longer employed by it.

On February 6, I flew out to Denver and spent a week with a BFF I made in the CS community. We had a writers' retreat while I housesat for my sister while she was on vacation. I flew home on February 13 and got my company issued computers set up.

I started the new employment on February 14. My entire upstairs is almost completely renovated after three months of working on it after 7 years of depression. I have quit smoking. I am slowly getting my writing mojo back. My GP and therapist are both astonished at how happy I am.

In the months since I left, I have fully realized that I was essentially being abused at my last job. I was just so driven by my goals there that I was willing to excuse all of the bullshit in hopes of making it in my career. I asked for my vacation time a couple months ago and no one guilt-tripped me because I'm going on vacation in June. I told them I would be happy to take my laptop and work while I'm there and they told me to not even think about it. To go have fun and enjoy my vacation.

I don't know what all of this means for my CS writing. I don't know if that will come back. I would like to. I would love to finish some projects that are half-written. I would love to do another year of cards and finish that not-so-secret santa fic for @grimmswan. I just have to be a little more patient with myself and see what happens.

Okay, that wasn't as short as I expected it to be, because I guess it was a lot. Anyway, hi everyone. This is the happiest I've been since 2015. I'm happy to be back. <3

[ofwishfulthinking]

if you’re hearing A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON by LOUIS ARMSTRONG playing, you have to know DIEGO ROBINSON-ARMSTRONG (HE/HIM; CISGENDER MAN) is near by! the 50 year old HOTEL OWNER has been in denver for, like, 25 YEARS. they’re known to be quite ABRASIVE, but being TENACIOUS seems to balance that out. or maybe it’s the fact that they resemble DANNY PINO. personally, i’d love to know more about them seeing as how they’ve got those BRIGHTLY COLORED THREE-PIECE SUITS, READING THE NEWSPAPER IN PRINT, AND BLACK COFFEE vibes. and maybe i’ll get my chance if i hang out around the WASHINGTON PARK DISTRICT long enough!

details:

When the Robinsons moved to the US, they were undocumented, but determined to do everything in their power to give their expected first child a better life. Diego was born a few months later and Maceo a few years after. Their original surname was just one of the sacrifices they made to pursue this dream (having changed it in order to help their children assimilate better.) His childhood was quiet, learning to stay under the radar, but it instilled in Diego a passion to better himself.

Diego moved to Denver when he was 25, intent on attending graduate school. At that time, he took a job at the hotel. He was a bellhop, nothing important, but he fell in love with the hospitality industry.

Young, confident, and self assured, Diego was determined to make something of himself and making something of himself meant moving up the ranks at the hotel. Soon, he was being promoted -- first to the front desk, and within a few years, to manager.

When the hotel began to suffer losses and the owner decided to sell, Diego bought the property. He worked hard to modernize the space.

While his professional life was taking off, so was his personal life -- he married Kai (his trophy husband) and they adopted the kids.

Diego recently turned 50 and in true midlife crisis fashion, he's made moves to expand the business. In fact, he planned to open a resort -- golfing, swimming, summer homes, and the like to work in tandem with the hotel. it had seemed like a dream, and diego had worked countless hours to make it happen only to watch the dream disappear as he realized that he'd been swindled.

he's still coming to terms with the con, working even more endless hours to make things right.

possible connections:

best friend

employees

rival (the land developer wc is on the main and could work here)

literally anything, he's been here for 25 years.

[mariacallous]

Exposure to poverty is deeply intertwined with the deterioration of emotional health. This linkage is often exacerbated by a lack of coordinated social support for individuals and families. To appreciate this connection and how efforts in some communities suggest ways to address it, consider three public health issues and their impact on mental health: homelessness, food insecurity, and hygiene poverty (i.e., a lack of resources to maintain personal hygiene).

Homelessness

There is a close connection between homelessness and mental health. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness and associated behavioral health issues have increased. While there are widely differing estimates of the prevalence of mental disorders among individuals experiencing homelessness, a review of the research by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) suggests that between 20% and 50% have serious mental illness. Research suggests, moreover, that the experience of being homeless often intensifies the condition of individuals with poor mental health, with factors such as increased stress aggravating previous mental illness through heightened anxiety, fear, substance use, etc.

Some believe that the best course of action for those experiencing homelessness and mental illness is to provide treatment and services first so that homeless individuals are stabilized and “housing ready,” and only then can live successfully in permanent housing. Under this approach, placement in housing would follow initial treatment. However, many jurisdictions now use a Housing First model. In this approach, an individual is placed into permanent supported housing as the first step, followed swiftly with treatment and social service supports to start addressing the individual’s physical and mental health, education, employment, and substance use issues. Studies suggest this is an improvement on “treatment first” approaches.

How communities are addressing the challenge

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Pathways to Housing: Pathways to Housing works with individuals experiencing homelessness to provide housing without treatment preconditions and, once participants are housed, goes on immediately to address underlying issues involving mental health, substance use, medical care, and education. After arranging housing, Pathways manages an integrated care clinic to ensure that “participants have access to a low-barrier, person-centered approach that emphasizes recovery, wellness, trauma-informed care, and the integration of physical and behavioral health care.”

Denver, Colorado – Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) operates twenty permanent supportive housing and affordable housing properties and administers housing vouchers nearly 1,300 households in the Denver area. Like Pathways, the Coalition takes steps to ensure that, once housed, residents immediately receive the physical and behavioral health services they need to be able to achieve stability. CCH provides integrated medical and behavioral health care, substance use treatment, dental, vision, and pharmacy services through an on-site Federally Qualified Health Center.

New York City, New York – Breaking Ground: Breaking Ground provides permanent supportive housing for individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness in New York City. Housing is co-located with wraparound services such as on-site medical care, psychiatric care, substance use referrals, and skills-building/employment programs. In addition to a focus on housing, Breaking Ground provides New Yorkers who remain unhoused with Street to Home services, which include 24/7 engagement and outdoor counseling and connections with available medical and social supports. Programs like this are likely to be particularly important in the context of New York City’s new plan to involuntarily hospitalize unhoused individuals with mental health conditions despite a chronic psychiatric bed shortage in city hospitals.

What else could be done to help?

Expand Housing First models to encompass more communities, including those in rural areas. As illustrated in the examples above, Housing First programs show that providing stable housing can improve the efficacy of psychiatric and substance abuse treatment as well as aid in connecting individuals to social services. A 2018 study on the effects of housing stability service use among homeless adults with mental illness found that participants who achieved housing stability had decreased use of inpatient psychiatric hospitals and emergency departments. Currently the severe shortage of affordable housing makes it very difficult in many jurisdictions to provide immediate housing for homeless individuals. Moreover, although the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development distributes emergency Section 8 housing vouchers to jurisdictions for unhoused individuals and people attempting to flee domestic violence, it is common for people to wait years for voucher assistance. Achieving the goal of stable housing for people with mental health conditions will therefore require ramped-up investment in housing as well as health and social service supports for residents.

Utilize mobile crisis intervention teams to address social and behavioral health needs of individuals experiencing homelessness that are at risk for a mental health crisis. Breakthroughs in mental health services are often the result of multi-agency partnerships. One such breakthrough has been the development of local crisis intervention teams, which use a co-response model between law enforcement, emergency medical services, and mental health providers. In a previous publication, we highlighted several successful programs using this model. Since the full launch of the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline in June of 2022, many jurisdictions are working to deploy crisis intervention teams for behavioral health emergencies in a way that is most beneficial to those in need, including those experiencing homelessness. Moreover, states can now receive an enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for mental health crisis systems.

Improve the coordination and continuation of services for people experiencing homelessness. Departments at all levels of government often fail people with housing and mental health problems because of administrative obstacles and budget silos. Fortunately, there have been some steps to tackle these challenges. California, Arkansas and other states, for instance, have received federal Medicaid 1115 Waivers that allow them to better coordinate housing, health care, and other services for vulnerable populations. In February 2023, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean reintroduced legislation through The Homelessness and Behavioral Health Care Coordination Act to the House of Representatives, which would authorize a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant to enable state/local/tribal entities to coordinate care for individuals simultaneously experiencing homelessness, behavioral health, and substance use disorders.

Food Insecurity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that in 2021 over 34 million people—including 9 million children—were living in households that did not have enough to eat. Many of these families do not qualify for federal nutrition programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and are dependent on food banks or community donations.  A national study found that food insecurity was associated with a 257% higher risk of anxiety and a 253% higher risk of depression among low-income families. Mothers and children appear to be at an especially high risk of mental health distress associated with food insecurity. For instance, food insecurity can exacerbate postpartum depression, and food insecurity has been found to be associated with increased behavioral and emotional dysregulation during infancy and adolescence. Food insecurity has also been associated with maternal depression and increased developmental risk in children such as decreased psychosocial function, elevated aggression, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and difficulties interacting with peers. In another study conducted to analyze the relationship between food insecurity and poor mental health, researchers discovered that food insecurity correlates to depression, anxiety, shame, and acute psychological stress.

What is being done in some communities?

Maryland – Frustrated by the lack of food access and overburdened charity models, the Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) created a self-sustaining food system at Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD. Using the community garden at the church, the organization created a pipeline for fresh food from the garden directly to community members experiencing food insecurity. The organization has grown into a partnership of Black churches across the country to provide health-related, environmental, and economic benefits to those most vulnerable.

Connecticut – Recognizing that the quality of a diet can serve as either a risk factor or protective factor to mental health, Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) partnered with the Healing Meals Community Project to deliver nutritious meals to food-insecure individuals experiencing mental illness. A 2020 small-scale pilot study conducted by the University of Hartford examined the partnership. It found the program to be effective and Healthy Meals to be “a highly workable intervention approach,” and recommended expanded community collaboration to promote nutrition education and improve food access.

California – Food Equity Round Table: Los Angeles County’s Food Equity Roundtable is comprised of a coalition of county officials and Los Angeles-area philanthropic organizations dedicated to addressing food insecurity. The goal of the Round Table is to promote cross-sector collaboration to improve access to and affordability of healthy foods, support supply chain/food system resilience, and enhance county-wide nutrition education.

What else could be done to help?

Strengthen government safety net programs to better respond to food insecurity. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress extended flexibility and increased benefit levels of federal nutrition programs such as SNAP. To continue these programs and make them permanent, several bills have been introduced in Congress in the last few years, including the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2021. Such measures would prevent millions of people from falling into food insecurity and the associated mental and physical health implications by permanently raising the baseline benefits for SNAP households, particularly for families with large medical or housing expenses. Another approach, included in the Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2021, would eliminate time limits on SNAP eligibility. Currently, the time limit restricts many working-age adults to only three months of benefits in a three-year period unless they document sufficient hours of work. But, of course, for those with mental and behavioral health conditions, staying in the workforce can be difficult.

Improve cross-sector coordination to allow for increased support for food insecurity across the public and private sectors as well as nonprofits and philanthropic organizations. In September 2022, the Biden administration released a National Strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health. This included steps to permit Medicaid to include nutrition education and supports and other proposed actions to address hunger, reduce diet-related diseases (including mental illnesses), and nutritional disparities.

Hygiene Poverty

Inequitable access to personal care and hygiene products is an overlooked public health crisis. In the United States, data is limited on the mental health implications of what is widely described as “hygiene poverty.” Most research focuses on what is known as “period poverty,” with a 2021 study finding an association between women struggling to afford menstrual products and depression. In fact, the study found that two-thirds of the 16.9 million low-income women in the U.S. could not afford menstrual products. Meanwhile, in homeless and low-income households, chronic absenteeism in schools has been attributed in part to the mental health impacts of poor hygiene (often involving increased anxiety, bullying, and isolation). More research is certainly needed to fully establish the relationship between hygiene poverty and behavioral health in women, but for young women in low-income households, this added stress in their daily lives is a significant factor in their behavioral health.

As an example of state efforts to help support such students, the Oregon legislature allocated $700,000 to support youth-led projects designed to help tackle factors that affect mental health. One of the funded projects was for “caring closets,” within schools; these are locations with supplies of hygiene products, underwear, and other basic supplies for children from low-income families.

Unlike the public programs available to help families obtain healthcare, food, and housing, there are generally no public supports for families in need of hygiene products. The most commonly used public  benefit programs (Medicaid, SNAP, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)) do not cover essential hygiene items such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, diapers, feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, shampoo, and deodorant.

What is being done in some communities?

Washington State – Essentials First seeks to fill in a critical gap that food banks, homeless shelters, schools, and refugee resettlement agencies across the state generally do not have the capacity to fill for critical hygiene items.  Recognizing that household and personal care items were among the top tier of items Washingtonians had difficulty paying for during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization focuses on the procuring large quantities of hygiene supplies that are distributed through existing social service networks across the state.

Massachusetts – Hope & Comfort addresses youth hygiene insecurity by providing supplies to youth-serving community organizations such as schools, Boys & Girls clubs, YMCAs, and food pantries in the greater Boston area. In a published pilot study from year one of the organization’s operations, 46% of surveyed youth said they had less stress, and another 19% said they had more confidence when given consistent and easy access to hygiene products.

What else could be done to help?

While local organizations are working to address hygiene poverty in their communities, they have limited capacity. Thus, it is important for policymakers at the state and federal level to recognize that hygiene poverty remains largely overlooked in health and social service programs and to take steps to include those needs in appropriate federal and state programs. Steps that could be taken include:

Increase flexibility for EBT cards. In late 2021 and early 2022, some states, such as Illinois, passed new laws permitting public benefits to be used to purchase diapers and menstrual hygiene products. This step does not require new programs or a new program infrastructure but is limited in that it does not provide dedicated funds specifically for hygiene products. A more complete solution would be to provide new funds under the existing program to cover essential hygiene needs.

Enable certain federal grant recipients to purchase hygiene products. Federal grant recipients providing services and supports, such as schools and homeless shelters, receive funds for a variety of uses. However, these funds typically come with tight requirements that often do not allow for the coverage of essential hygiene items, even where such coverage might further the objectives of the program. That usually forces organizations to purchase and distribute products using resources from private contributions, state and local grants, or in-kind donations.

There have been efforts in Congress to address these limitations on federal grants. In 2021, for instance, the Menstrual Equity for All Act was introduced in the House. If enacted, this would allow states to have the option to use federal grant dollars to provide students with free menstrual products in schools (currently only 15 states and DC have enacted requirements making it possible for students to access free state-funded menstrual hygiene products in schools). The legislation would, among other things, also fund pilot programs in colleges/universities for free menstrual hygiene products, allow homeless assistance providers to use grant funds that cover shelter necessities (e.g., bedding and toilet paper) to also use that money to purchase menstrual products, and require Medicaid to cover the cost of menstrual products.

Our understanding of behavioral and mental health conditions is gradually improving. This has led to advances in the development of treatment and support for populations experiencing these conditions, as well as the identification of circumstances that cause or exacerbate them. For instance, we have seen progress in dealing with the impact of warfare on many servicemen and servicewomen. There is also a greater understanding that law enforcement officers are not usually the best responders to someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Similarly, there is now greater attention being given to the effects of neighborhood violence and other sources of stress on school-aged children.

With these advances in mind, it is important for the health of individuals and communities that we continue to examine relationships between social conditions, the policies that shape them, and the impacts on behavioral health. The connection—in many cases the two-way connection—between behavioral health and homelessness, food insecurity, hygiene poverty, and other conditions needs to be studied and policies realigned to fit our increasing understanding of these relationships.

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