Little boy being hugged by his father with glasses

Human Services Safety Net Initiative (HSSN)

Boulder County’s Human Services Safety Net (HSSN) helps people in our community get the support they need for housing, health care, and other basic services, especially when times are tough.

Approved by voters in 2010 and extended through 2030, HSSN is funded by a small property tax — less than one penny for every dollar you pay.

What HSSN Funds and Why It Matters

Since 2010, HSSN has raised more than $100 million to help meet growing need as caseloads and costs have outpaced state and federal funding. Every dollar goes to programs that strengthen:

Individual and Family Supports
Health and Wellbeing
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Education and Skill Building

That investment is working. It’s kept our community strong through hard times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and recent changes to federal programs.

HSSN funds cannot be used for building projects or other capital expenses. You can read the full ballot language in the “How HSSN Came to Be” section below.

HSSN in Action

In 2025, HSSN invested nearly $7.9 million in 36 community providers. That funding supported four key areas:

Health and Well-Being

More than 10,000 people received health and well-being services through eight HSSN-funded providers ($4.2 million). Of those providers, 88% reported positive outcomes for the people they served.

Individual and Family Support

More than 10,000 people received support through six providers ($1.5 million) offering services that help individuals and families build stability. Of those providers, 85% reported positive outcomes for the people they served.

Housing and Homelessness

More than 2,000 people received housing and homelessness services through 14 providers ($1.5 million). Of those providers, 84% reported positive outcomes for the people they served.

Education and Skill Building

More than 1,000 people accessed education and skill-building services through eight providers ($674,000). Of those providers, 84% reported positive outcomes for the people they served.

How HSSN Came to Be

Following the 2008 recession, more people in Boulder County needed help with food, health care, and housing than ever before. At the same time, state and federal funding for those services was being cut.

In 2010, Boulder County voters approved Ballot Initiative 1A, a small, temporary property tax to fill the gap. HSSN was born.

The original tax was set to expire in 2015. But by 2014, the community had seen what HSSN could do. Voters chose to extend it through 2030, with 63% in favor. That continued support has allowed Boulder County to invest in the programs that keep our neighbors housed, healthy, and stable.

Since 2008, the county’s caseload for food assistance has increased 113%, from 8,900 to to more than 19,000 people in 2026. Medicaid enrollment has grown 187%, from 16,000 to more than 47,000 people in 2026.

State and federal funding hasn’t kept pace with rising need or inflation, and many communities across the country are falling further behind. Even so, more people in Boulder County are getting the help they need. That’s a sign HSSN is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Reference Documents

Our Programs

Contact Us

Human Services

Phone: 303-441-1000
TTY: 1-800-659-3656
Fax: 303-441-1523
Submit a question

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 471
Boulder, CO 80306

Boulder Location

3460 Broadway, Boulder
Fax: 720-564-2283
Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Longmont Location

515 Coffman St., Longmont
Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday

Lafayette Location

1755 S. Public Road, Lafayette
Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday
Closed 1-2 p.m. for lunch.