Homeless Navigation

Across the country, communities are facing the challenge of an increasing number of people experiencing homelessness. Wheat Ridge, as well as our neighboring cities, are feeling the impact of this national concern. While many believe police departments have the primary responsibility for responding to complaints about illegal camping, trash and panhandling, managing all of the impacts of people experiencing homelessness is a shared community responsibility and cannot be addressed with just one approach. Read more

Below is a list of agencies and nonprofits in Jefferson County along with resources, food programs, shelter information including locations available during severe weather, as well as information about addiction and mental health services.

Homeless Navigator 

A new county-wide homeless navigation model was launched in 2020, comprised of six municipal and county-based housing navigators who work directly with persons experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness. The shared navigator for the cities of Wheat Ridge, Golden and Edgewater, Rebekah Raudabaugh, began in December 2020.

Raudabaugh’s role as the Homeless Navigator is to assist those experiencing a housing crisis, find stable housing and obtain the services and resources needed to maintain that housing. The Homeless Navigator works in partnership with local business communities, constituents, metro-area non-profit providers and government agencies serving the cities of Golden, Edgewater, and Wheat Ridge. While the Homeless Navigator isn’t able to increase available housing resources, Raudabaugh will help people experiencing homelessness identify solutions to complex health and housing challenges and support those who are seeking a path out of homelessness. However, this is not an emergency, on-call position.

For individuals who are at-risk, already experiencing homelessness or looking for resources and wanting to work towards stable housing, the Homeless Navigator can provide support and assistance.

 Monetary donations are welcome and can be made to the Wheat Ridge Community Foundation: http://bit.ly/DonateWRHomelessNav