Samaritan House, providing 21 extended stay rooms for families, sees a constant need with multiple families calling in each day trying to find a safe place for their family.  In the 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, Colorado was found to have the third highest rate of unsheltered homeless families in the country at 32 percent, a rate considerably higher than the national average. Due to rising housing costs and other factors, Samaritan House staff report they see that it\'s becoming more difficult for homeless families to find housing which is in turn increasing their length of stay at shelters and keeping limited shelter spaces filled longer, unable to accommodate other families.

Samaritan House Family Services offers a 120-day extended stay program in which families experiencing homelessness receive support for their basic needs as well as set and make progress on holistic goals in an individualized case plan spanning categories such as income acquisition, health, self-care, and finding stable housing. Participants can attend a range of life skill classes such as money management and parenting, bring their kids to activities such as crafts classes and birthday parties, and make use of on-site services to receive counseling, apply for disability, or acquire full-time work.  Partnering with a case manager from their first week in shelter, families are empowered to determine the trajectory to resolve their homelessness, are supported throughout their stay with budgeting assistance and regular follow-up to ensure sustained progress, and are connected to wrap-around services in the community to the end of meeting their needs and finding stable housing.

Renovations of the family floor is part of a three-year project that will make major modifications and upgrades to the entire Samaritan House facility.  The family floor project will expand the number of rooms by four for a total of 25 rooms or a 16 percent increase in the number of families that Samaritan House can serve at any given time.  This will include the addition of a few rooms able to accommodate larger families.  Family common areas, including a computer lab, playroom for children, and space for teenagers, will be modernized to improve the experience of all families participating in the program.  The 32-year old building will receive upgraded utilities and HVAC systems. A training room for staff and clients is included in the construction plans.Renovations will start on Monday, May 13, 2019, and are expected to last until fall, allowing families to move back in prior to the winter season.  Due to safety concerns during construction, the Samaritan House Family Services Program will not be able to accommodate any families until this phase is completed.

Samaritan House is committed to working closely with community partners in the Denver Metro area to stage renovations with minimal service interruptions.  Family Services staffis collaborating with community partners to guarantee that all families enrolled in the program prior to renovations can successfully transition to extended stay shelters or transitional housing programs where they can continue to work toward self-sufficiency with sustained supports prior to May 13^th.  The Family Services program will begin limiting intakes of new families starting as early as late February to realistically ensure that all families can receive referrals before construction begins.  Samaritan House is relying on commitments by community partners to prioritize referrals of Samaritan House families one month before renovations to make this happen.