Safe, decent, affordable housing is a high priority for all families. The cost of housing
is a significant portion of a family's income, often as much as 50 to 80 percent for low-
income and moderate-income families. Finding affordable housing for a single-parent
family can be difficult and discouraging. The agencies listed below offer assistance for
emergency, short-term and long-term housing.

While emergency shelter is generally available to all families who need it, long-term
assistance has long waiting lists (1 to 3 years) and can be difficult to obtain. The three
housing authorities in Boulder County each have a separate application process and
waiting list; you must apply to each agency. Since government housing assistance
programs are very limited, most single parents must look on the open housing market for
a place to life. When considering the cost of housing, remember to consider the cost of
utilities and of transportation to and from work and school.

Boulder County Housing Authority
Countywide rental assistance and public housing for low-income families, seniors and
people with disabilities. Fees: rent based on income.
P.O. Box 471, Boulder, CO 80306, 441-3929
400 E. Simpson, Lafayette, CO 80026, 665-9245

Housing Counseling
Default and foreclosure prevention, counseling for first-time home buyers and
budget counseling. Fees: XXXX. 441-3929

Weatherization
Weatherization of homes and apartments (owner-occupied and rental) including
attic insulation, caulking, furnace and water heater repair. Eligibility based on income.
Fees: none. 441-3912

Boulder County Safehouse
Safe shelter, food, clothing and counseling for women and children threatened by an
abusive living situation. Maximum stay 6 weeks. Fees: sliding scale, minimum
$8/family/day; no one will be turned away for lack of funds and alternative methods of
payment can be arranged.
24-hour Crisis / Counseling Line, 444-2424; office, 449-8623

City of Boulder Housing Authority
Rental assistance and public housing within Boulder city limits, education and
counseling for first-time home buyers. Fees: rent based on income.
Housing Management Office, 3120 N. Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302, 441-3150

City of Longmont Housing Authority
Rental assistance within Longmont city limits. Fees: rent based on income.
900 Coffman, Suite C, Longmont, CO 80501, 651-8581

Community Mediation Services
Assistance settling landlord/tenant disputes, complaints of housing discrimination,
noise and nuisance problems within the city of Boulder. Fees: none.
1101 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80302, 441-4364

Emergency Family Assistance
Food, shelter, transportation, rent assistance for families in crisis. Fees: none.
900 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80302, 442-3042
400 East Simpson, Lafayette, CO 80026, 665-8064
414 Fourth Ave., Longmont, CO 80501, 772-5529 (Our Center)

ECHO House
Emergency shelter for families and elderly, disabled and pregnant people living alone.
Assistance available 24 hours a day; clients must call first.
449-3092.

Longmont Coalition for Women in Crisis
Safe shelter, food, clothing and counseling for women and children threatened by an
abusive living situation. Weekly support groups, referral information. Fees: sliding scale.
24-hour Crisis Line, 772-4422; office, 722-0432

Longmont Inn Between
Transitional housing assistance.
250 Kimbark, Longmont, CO 80502-1458, 684-0810.

Low-Income Emergency Assistance Program (LEAP) Assistance with utility payments for eligible low-income clients. Fees: none.
441-1065.

Mother House
Shelter, food, clothing and counseling for pregnant women in need. Fees: $106 /
month rent.
447-9602.

Salvation Army
One-time assistance with utility bill for eligible low-income clients. Fees: none.
1559 Spruce St., Boulder, CO 80302, 440-7126.

YWCA House Sharing Program
Assistance for single parents looking for affordable housing. Fees: none.
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 443-0419.

Legal problems can lead to unwanted emotional reactions and a sense of helplessness.
Legal advice or mediation by a third party can help untangle problems and provide
neutral support, especially when dealing with the court system. As with health care, the
range of fees is broad. Listed below are legal services that are dependent on income,
others that provide one-time advice for reasonable fees, and a referral agency for private
law practices. Also listed are several civil rights and consumer protection groups.
Remember that the ideal of the legal system is fair and reasonable justice, regardless of
race, religion, gender or marital status.

American Civil Liberties Union
Legal assistance and help with court costs in cases involving civil liberties. Fees:
attorney fees donated.
812 E. 22nd Ave., Denver, CO 80205, 861-2258.

Boulder County Legal Services
Legal representation for low-income clients involved in civil cases (except traffic
cases). Fees: sliding scale.
1790 30th St., Boulder, CO 80301, 449-7575.

Child Support Enforcement Unit, Boulder County Social Services
Legal assistance in obtaining child support. Fees: none for AFDC recipients; one-time
$20 fee for others (can be waived with proof of financial hardship).
3400 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304, 441-1070.

Consumer Affairs Unit, Boulder County District Attorney's Office
Investigation, mediation, information and referral for violations of state consumer
protection laws covering auto repairs, sales, advertising, charity solicitation and credit.
Violation must occur in Boulder County. Fees: none.
District Attorney's Office, 1777 6th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 441-3730

City of Boulder Office of Human Rights
Information, referral and enforcement of city's human rights ordinance prohibiting
discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. Fees: none.
1101 Arapahoe Ave., second floor, Boulder, CO 80302, 441-3140.
Mediation services, 441-3140.

Metropolitan Lawyer Referral Service
Half-hour legal consultation by appointment with attorneys participating in service
sponsored by the bar associations of metro counties. Fees: $25 (fees for additional
services can be arranged).
1301 Pennsylvania St., Suite 450, Denver, CO 80203, 831-8000.

University of Colorado Legal Aid and Defender Program
Very low cost assistance with criminal and civil cases for low-income clients. Fees: $5
for consultation, $15 for a case.
CU School of Law, Fleming Law Building, Boulder, CO 80309, 492-8126.

YWCA Legal Information Services
Half-hour appointment with Boulder County attorney Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. by
appointment. Fees: $15.
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 443-0419

YWCA Divorce Education Project
Workshops on the rights and options of divorcing couples. Fees: $5 per workshop.
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 443-0419.

Single parenting, by the nature of its demands, requires a high level of functioning and
stability. Many people find stress and loneliness can be reduced through counseling or
participating in a support group. Listed below are a variety of general and specific
counseling services. We encourage you to make use of these resources, both for personal
coping mechanisms and personal growth.

Alcoholics Anonymous
Support group meetings for alcoholics (AA) and their spouses (Al-Anon), grown
children (Adult Children of Alcoholics) and children (Ala-Teen). Fees: none.
447-8201

Alcohol Recovery Center
Inpatient detoxification and outpatient counseling for alcoholics and one-on-one
counseling and support groups for their families. Fees: sliding scale.
3470 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304, 441-1275 (counseling) and 441-1281
(detoxification).

Boulder County Safehouse
One-to-one counseling for residents, outreach support groups for women in abusive
relationships (individual and group counseling available in Spanish). Fees: sliding scale;
no one will be turned away.
Boulder office, 449-8623
Tri-City office, 673-9000
24-hour crisis line, 444-2424

Crisis Center
Walk in or phone counseling. Fees: free for phone-in, sliding scale for walk-in.
1333 Iris Ave., Boulder, CO 80340, 447-1665

Counseling Center
Counseling for individuals, couples and families, support groups, workshops and
single-parenting groups. Fees: sliding scale.
1534 55th St., Boulder, CO 80301, 449-7898

First Presbyterian Church Counseling Resource Center
Counseling from a Christian perspective for individuals, couples and groups. Fees:
initial intake fee; no one turned away.
1820 15th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 442-3523

Front Range Community College Student Center
Counseling groups on self-esteem and co-dependency issues. Fees: minimal or none;
no one turned away.
3645 W. 112th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030, 466-8811, ext. 255

Human Services, Inc. Counseling for single parents. Fees: sliding scale.
5350 Manhattan Circle, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80303, 494-2771, 494-5559

Mental Health Center of Boulder County
Counseling by appointment, family and group psychotherapy, adolescent therapy, drug
abuse treatment. Fees: sliding scale.
1333 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302, 443-8500
520 Coffman St., Longmont, CO 80501, 678-6200

YWCA Resource Center
Counseling, career and job-search classes and support groups, drop-in resource center,
single-parent networking. Fees: none (except for specific groups).
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 443-0419

In our society, we are expected to know how to raise children just because we have
children. This is not true, of course; parenting skills are learned. These skills are often
learned from people in our extended family or from personal life experiences. Single
parents facing child rearing alone for the first time often do not have family resources
available. Fortunately, our community offers good alternative ways of learning parenting
skills. The resources listed below will help you enrich your parenting skills as well as
provide support in solving other problems that parents face.

Boulder Community Hospital Infant Car Seat Rental Program
Safe car seats for infants; requires proof of auto insurance, driver's license and
seatbelts in the car. Fees: $15 deposit, $10 rent for 8 months.
1100 Balsam, Boulder, CO 80304, 440-2128

Boulder County Department of Social Services Hotline
24-hour hotline to report suspected child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse.
441-1240

Community Infant Project
Intensive parenting training and support for parents with newborn babies.
661-0433

Genesis Project
Support services for teen mothers, case management services.
441-1248

MOPS - Mothers of Preschoolers
Program for mothers and their preschool children 9-11:30 a.m. second and fourth
Tuesday of each month. Fees: $3.50 per session.
3245 Kalmia Ave., Boulder, CO 80301, 442-3484

Parent Anonymous
Self-help organization to help parents avoid abusing their children. Fees: none.
1-800-421-0353

The Parenting Place
Workshops, discussion groups, support groups, special events for children. Fees:
donation requested.
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 449-0177

Parents Without Partners
Meetings with speakers: 7:30 p.m. second Tuesday of each month, Boulder Inn, 770
28th St., Boulder; 7:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, First
Christian Church, 550 Coffman St., Longmont. Fees: $2 per meeting.
430-4991

YWCA Single Parent Program
Support groups on emotional and personal issues of single parents. Fees: sliding
scale.
2222 14th St., Boulder, CO 80302, 443-0419

Inexpensive transportation in Boulder County is rather limited at this time. Buses are the
best available alternative to cars. It may be useful to explore carpooling with friends or
developing cooperative transportation groups.

RTD (Regional Transportation District)
Public transportation services on fixed routes and schedules within the cities of
Boulder and Longmont, between Lafayette, Louisville, Broomfield, Nederland, Boulder,
Longmont and Denver. Fees: $.50 in Longmont, $.75 in Boulder; $3 for service between
cities.
299-6000

Special Transit Systems
Door-to-door transportation within Boulder County for the elderly and people with
disabilities. Fees: none.
4880 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80301, 447-9636 or 447-2848

The transition from childhood to adulthood is often accompanied by a lack of self-
confidence and by frustration for both the youth and the parent. Good communication
can reduce the frustration but may require help from a support group or counselor.
Probably the most important favorable factor in the teen and preteen years is self-
confidence. Each youth needs something on which to focus time and energy. This
investment will provide some direction and a feeling of achievement, as well as allowing
a youth to interact with adults who can provide fellowship and new experiences. Listed
below are counseling, job and activity resources for youth.

Alternatives for Youth
Personal, vocational and employment counseling for young people 12 to 19 who are
not in school. Fees: none.
839 Meeker St., Longmont, CO 80501, 776-8184

Big Brothers
Individual guidance and friendship from adult male volunteers for boys 7 to 15 whose
father's are absent because of death, separation or divorce. Fees: $7 application fee.
2040 30th St., Boulder, CO 80301, 447-2674

Big Sisters
Individual guidance and friendship from adult female volunteers for girls 8-15. Fees:
none

Boulder County Partners
Trained adult volunteers to work with youth 10 to 17 in conflict. Fees: none.
1860 Industrial Ave., Unit B, Longmont, CO 80501, 772-1411 or 447-8755

Boy Scouts of America, Longs Peak Council
Character development, citizenship training and physical fitness activities for boys 7
and older. Fees: membership dues; scholarships available.
2215 23rd Ave., Greeley, CO 80631, 330-6305, 776-4122, 442-7147

Camp Fire Council of Boulder County
Character building, fun, friendship, outdoor mountain activities, summer day camp
program for boys and girls. Fees: membership dues; scholarships available.
2141 14th St., Suite 6, Boulder, CO 80302, 440-9647

City of Boulder Youth Services Division
Drug and alcohol evaluations, support groups, peer counseling, information and
referral. Fees: vary with activity; scholarships available.
2160 Spruce St., Boulder, CO 80302, 441-4357

4-H Youth
Informal education in agriculture, home economics, energy conservation, recreation
and hobbies. Fees: club dues; scholarships available.
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Boulder County, 9595 Nelson
Road, Longmont, CO 80501, 776-4865 or 44l4-1121

Girl Scouts, Mile Hi Council
Character development, friendship, activities. Fees: membership dues.
400 S. Broadway, Denver, CO, 778-8774

Longmont Youth Services
The Neutral Zone: Drop-in center for teens 11-19 with supervised games, pool, trips
and activities, 2:30-8 p.m. weekdays, noon-6 Saturdays. Fees: none.
Youth Employment: Assistance finding and keeping a job, instruction in interview
skills and evaluation of interests. Fees: none.
1050 Lashley, Longmont, CO 80501, 651-8580
Parks and Recreation Departments
Inexpensive classes and activities for varied interests. Fees: vary with program; some
scholarships available.
City of Boulder, 3198 N. Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302, 441-3414
City of Louisville, 900 Via Appia Way, Louisville, CO 80027, 666-7400
City of Lafayette, 111 W. Baseline Rd., Lafayette, CO 80026, 665-0469
City of Longmont, 700 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont, CO 80501, 651-8303

City of Boulder Summer Jobs Program
Positions as ranger, parks maintenance worker, lifeguard, irrigation operator, mower
operator, playground supervisor. Apply February through April 2. Fees: none.
3198 N. Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304, 413-7200