For students trying to stay in college without a stable place to sleep, a room can change everything.
That is the idea behind Depaul USA’s Dax Program, which has opened Denver’s first student residence near the Capitol building for college students at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
The nonprofit runs 11 Dax student housing programs in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York, and provides resources to people experiencing homelessness. The program started in 2015 and has housed 494 students in those cities.
The Denver residence is an 1890s brick building in North Capitol Hill that was originally a duplex. It is one of the national program’s larger residences and can house up to 15 students.
Depaul USA has partnered with Metropolitan State University of Denver and Regis University for the program, and wants to expand services to other local colleges and universities.
The Denver building will expand the program’s reach to about 110 students annually, according to a news release. Depaul USA’s website says about 95 percent of residents find permanent housing after participating in the program, and the Depaul USA news release says about 84 percent remain in school or graduate.
To live in the house, students must work a minimum of 10 hours per week, be in good academic standing, and pay a reduced-cost monthly rent. Students in the program also get movie nights, Sunday dinners, and resources including onsite food pantries, financial literacy workshops, employment assistance, and physical and behavioral health referrals.
“Our program is really designed to transition students towards independence,” said Serita Reels, Depaul USA’s national Dax Program director.
Nikya Harrell knows what that kind of support can mean. During her first semester at Chicago’s Malcolm X College, she was moving between family members’ homes and said she sometimes could only afford one meal a week.
A friend suggested she see the school’s therapist, who connected her with the Dax Program, which offers students a place to live for up to two years.
Harrell traveled to Denver for the opening and had a message for students struggling to find housing: “You’re never alone.”
Harrell said Dax Chicago’s Cecilia house gave her her own living space for the first time. She decorated the walls with “Coraline” and One Direction posters and put up affirmations including “Take a deep breath” and “You might be going through a storm, but the sun is approaching soon.”
She said having her own space helped her open up. She got involved in poetry and journaling and has participated in her school’s student government. She now lives in an apartment and plans to graduate from DePaul University in 2029 with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
Housing insecurity is common among college students. A recent survey of 74,350 students at 91 colleges in 16 states found about half experience housing insecurity and about 14 percent are homeless, according to a 2023-24 report from The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs.
At MSU Denver, associate director of basic needs and housing support Abbie Kell said her office helps about 80 to 90 students annually who are experiencing homelessness. At Regis, dean of students Erica Ingalls said the school provides aid to four to six students a year who do not have a place to live.
Both campuses connect students with resources including help applying for federal food aid, access to food pantries, and housing assistance. Regis provides two weeks of residence hall housing for homeless students, and MSU Denver offers emergency housing assistance.
But some students may not qualify for those resources, or the support may not last long enough, Kell said. Students also usually avoid community shelters.
“A lot of students usually live out of their car,” Kell said.
Kell said MSU Denver helped a student move into the Dax building before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The student interviewed with Dax staff, talked about where they would wash clothes, and decided which room they wanted, she said.
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