Leg Up House

How We Began:

Leg Up House was started in February 2007, in Grand Junction, Colorado, by Butch Cooley.  He saw a need to help those who were in low income jobs, about to loose their housing, had already lost it, or were living in shelters. These are the working poor in our communities.   And they included those on minimum wage, disabled veterans and and many with mental health issues.  Most of these were on Social Security Disability, but unable to find adequate housing.  The idea was to keep things simple, and rent rooms in quality houses by the month at the most affordable prices possible.  Initially he rented and leased houses, but as more capital became available, he started to purchase the homes they were leasing.  

It was decided early on that the company must remain for profit.  He felt the break down with government sponsored programs could not be repaired and decided to do things a little differently.  Instead of charity, once these folks became residents at a Leg Up House, they could feel a sense of pride in the fact that they were part of a quality household,  which existed because they worked each day and paid their own way to insure that it continued. Leg Up House is solely supported by the residents of each house.  

Starting with just one house in the winter of 2007,  he offered several rooms for rent to people they knew in this situation.  Within a week, all the rooms were rented and there were people sleeping on the living room floor each night.  It was impossible to turn any one person away that winter.  He decided they needed a second house.  As fast as they found housing, it was rented.  The group came to realize what was working in Grand Junction, Colorado could work in any town in the USA.  So plans were developed to procure more housing in other States with a goal of 10 houses in each of 50 States.  

 

 Founder Butch Cooley