Mayor's homeless program on track despite permanent housing woes

• Officials must work with a tight budget and broader economic uncertainty to achieve ambitious benchmarks.

The big picture: Just over 1,400 people were brought into shelters as of July 30, closing in on this year's goal to move 2,000 people indoors, Cole Chandler, the mayor's senior homelessness adviser, said during a Tuesday city council meeting.

Yes, but: 743 people were placed in permanent housing — including rental units and family reunifications — well short of a separate 2,000-person benchmark this year.

Threat level: Denver lost 100 housing vouchers issued after federal funding cuts struck the Denver Housing Authority, and another 80 vouchers were lost from the state due to budget cuts this year.

• Losing those resources led to fewer people moving into housing, Chandler said. Data presented Tuesday showed a dip after months of successful placements.

Between the lines: Councilmember Amanda Sawyer wants to know how much the city pays for sheltering each person at AIMH sites as policymakers prepare for next month's budget discussions.

What's next: Contracts to operate AIMH sites next year are under negotiation.