Housing Funds

Who Misses Out?

Colorado’s affordable housing crisis isn’t abstract. It shows up in long waiting lists, families sleeping in cars, and seniors pushed into homelessness. Against that backdrop, a recent federal housing audit found that hundreds of deceased individuals remained on housing assistance rolls in Colorado, with thousands of additional cases flagged for eligibility verification - meaning federal rent subsidies continued flowing for people who were no longer living in the units they were meant to occupy.

The real question isn’t only how these payments occurred - it’s who lost access to housing while those dollars were spent on empty units.

Colorado’s Housing Need: A Snapshot

Long waiting lists and closed applications

Across Colorado, demand for subsidized housing far outstrips supply. Many local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have closed waiting lists because there are simply more applicants than available resources. For example, in Pueblo the Housing Authority of the City of Pueblo has its waiting list closed and isn’t accepting new applications right now, illustrating how hard it is for eligible families to even get on the list. Affordable Housing Online

Statewide, local housing advocacy and waiting list data shows:

• Waiting lists are closed or full in major counties such as Denver. Hud Housing Network

• Many PHAs only open waiting lists briefly each year and then close them again as demand overwhelms capacity. Division of Housing

Significant time spent on waiting lists

It typically takes more than a year (about 14 months on average in 2024) for a qualified household in Colorado to receive subsidized housing after they enter the queue - even with an active list. USAFacts

A large subsidized housing population with limited vacancy

Colorado had about 63,700 subsidized housing units in 2023, with only around 12% unoccupied and available to rent - indicating tight supply relative to need. USAFacts

Tens of thousands of residents rely on subsidized housing

An estimated 112,000 people in Colorado lived in subsidized housing in 2023, yet the pipelines to enter this system are slow and constrained. USAFacts

Who Lost Out?

Every improper or unverified subsidy payment for a deceased or ineligible recipient means:

• A family that could have moved off a waiting list didn’t.

• A senior didn’t find a stable place to age in place.

• Someone seeking to escape homelessness remained stuck.

These are not minor delays - they are real harms with personal consequences.

Even when payments go to landlords for empty units or invalid certifications, the true cost is counted in human lives left waiting.

State Accountability: What Must Change

This article is not alleging individual criminal misconduct. It is demanding systemic responsibility and transparent corrective action from state and local oversight bodies.

Here is what must happen next:

🔹 1. Transparent Waiting List Reporting

The Colorado Division of Housing and local PHAs must publish up-to-date waiting list counts and average wait times for every county and municipality. This should include not just whether a list is open or closed, but the number of households waiting and how long they’ve been waiting.

🔹 2. Annual Public Audits of Beneficiary Eligibility

Audits should go beyond federal agency reviews to include state-level accountability reports on eligibility verification and subsidy disbursement. These audits should be publicly accessible and updated annually.

🔹 3. Conditional Funding Based on Compliance

State housing funds should be contingent on modernized eligibility verification procedures and accurate reporting. Housing authorities that fail to maintain reliable lists and eligibility records must face consequences short of withholding assistance from tenants, such as reduced administrative grants until fixed.

🔹 4. Independent Oversight Commission

Colorado should establish an independent housing oversight commission composed of community advocates, housing experts, and taxpayer representatives. This body should assess how funds are allocated and whether the system is achieving its intended purpose - housing Coloradans in need, not subsidizing empty units.

What’s at Stake

The broader housing shortage in Colorado is well documented - estimates from 2025 show a gap of over 100,000 housing units needed to keep pace with the state’s growth and affordability challenges. Axios

In that context, every dollar matters. Subsidy dollars should not sit in bank accounts or be paid for vacant units. They should be channeled to the families, seniors, and veterans trying every day just to find a stable place to call home.

Housing Crisis

Colorado faces a housing crisis - and the recent audit highlights not just administrative failings, but the cost of those failings in human terms. As taxpayers and residents, we must demand that state oversight bodies ensure housing assistance goes to people in need, not to loopholes, outdated systems, or empty rooms.

The system can be fixed - but only if the public, policymakers, and oversight bodies act with urgency, transparency, and accountability.