One priority of Weld’s Way Home is to make sure that both individuals experiencing homelessness and their neighbors know exactly how to connect with necessary resources.

To respond to this need, Weld’s Way Home is opening the Housing Navigation Center in the fall of 2018 to help those experiencing homelessness regain housing and to prevent those at-risk of homelessness from losing their housing. Co-located with other nonprofits including North Colorado Health Alliance, Immigrant and Refugee Center of Northern Colorado, and Sunrise Community Health Monfort Family Clinic (a federally funded community health center), the Housing Navigation Center:

1) Diverts people from homelessness by helping them return to support networks and avoid the homeless services system;
2) Assists people in getting back into permanent housing as quickly as possible;
3) Helps people maintain their housing with supportive services;
4) Connects those experiencing homelessness with mental/physical health care, non-emergency shelter, and other long-term resources;
5) Provides essential services to help people survive homelessness (cold weather shelter, shower, laundry, mail collection, etc.); and
6) Offers space to numerous homeless serving providers to connect with those they serve.

The Housing Navigation Center is part of a Weld County-wide Housing First strategy. Through the Housing First method, households regain housing and stability more quickly, get and keep employment, respond better to mental and physical health treatment, can manage chronic conditions, and more. Plus they stop over-utilizing the emergency department, eliminate law enforcement contacts, and do not spend time in jail, saving taxpayer dollars. Helping homeless households regain stability (and preventing those on the cusp of homelessness avoid it) builds safe, prosperous, and vibrant communities.