DENVER — The city of Denver recently launched a pilot program to provide portable air conditioning units to underserved residents, a program that is paying off for many as temperatures soar.
“It’s kind of wild out here right now,” said Denver resident Catie Boxler.
Parks throughout the Denver metro weren’t as packed as they usually would be on a Saturday, with so many people trying to stay out of the worst of the heat.
“We have the little window units, so we keep those things running 24/7,” said Nicholas Schieder.
“Even sitting in AC doesn’t seem to be doing enough,” added Boxler.
Unfortunately, many in Denver can’t even escape it in their own homes.
Data shows that roughly one in three Denver families lack cooling systems in their homes.
“There’s a huge need in Denver for A/C,” said Chelsea Warren, communications manager for Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (CASR).
CASR launched a pilot program this year, deploying A/C units and air purifiers in the following communities: Globeville, Elyria-Swansea, Montbello and Valverde.
“This investment is specifically in those neighborhoods that are going to be hotter than average. They’re going to be more lower-income elderly people with disabilities,” said Warren.
CASR joined forces with the Denver Department of Health and Environment and the Office of Emergency Management in 2024 to launch a series of community heat summits throughout the spring and summer.
Through those community meetings, they identified an urgent need for immediate, temporary cooling solutions.
As a result, grants of up to $50,000 were awarded to five nonprofits that have been working to identify as having the most families in need of cooling solutions.
“The benefit of working with community groups is that they have that trust, especially with vulnerable groups, to get that immediate relief,” said Warren.
So far, the non-profits have installed 75 portable A/C units since the program launched this spring and hope to bring relief to more families through the summer.
“By deploying rapid, portable A/C units and air purifiers, we’re changing people’s lives, changing your grandma’s life, or changing a family with young kids’ lives so that they can relax in their own home,” said Warren.
New Denver program addresses lack of air conditioning in underserved neighborhoods
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