COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - For Ruth King, her house in Commerce City has always been home.
"My mom bought this house back in, like, about 1953," she said.
Since then, members of the King family have moved in and out; they've celebrated holidays and helped each other through hard times. At her age, it's not been easy to keep up the home.
"It's been very hard. Very, very, very hard," said King.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Danielle Kreutter reports on one nonprofit working toward a solution to help seniors age in place
Hard began to feel impossible when the furnace broke and the roof started failing.
"It was flooding in the back," she remembered. "These are big expenses that I couldn't — I'd have to sell the house. But they were necessities."
She was able to get in contact with Brothers Redevelopment Inc. and their home modification and repair program.
"We're looking at issues now statewide with older adult homelessness, and we don't want that," Program Director Jason McCullough said.
The affordable housing nonprofit also works to prevent homelessness before people are even at risk. They cover the cost of important repairs to keep seniors like King in their homes.
"Staying in your home longer allows you more independence, more comfort. You live longer, you're overall happier, and it's honestly less strain on society itself, because you're more independent," McCullough said.
Brothers Redevelopment works with local municipalities to find funding and get the work done.
King now has a new furnance, new A/C, a new electrical panel and a new roof.
"How much did I have to pay? Zip. Zero. I have nothing but gratitude and thankfulness," she said. "I surely didn't want the house to go."
McCullough said they're happy to help families in need, but as a nonprofit, they need support themselves.
"Now is the time for communities to come together and decide how they want to see their neighborhoods continue. Is it gonna be: tear it down and put up condo buildings? Or is it going to be: maintain the culture and the community you have," he said.
To learn more about Brothers Redevelopment's aging in place resources, click here. People can also visit ColoradoHousingConnects.org for more resources.
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