Winter Help for Denver-Area Older Adults: Heating, Snow and Home Repair Programs

Start with one call

If you are helping a parent or neighbor and do not know where to begin, call the DRCOG Area Agency on Aging's Aging and Disability Resource Center at 303-480-6700. It serves adults 60 and older, adults with disabilities and caregivers across Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Douglas, Gilpin and Jefferson counties, at no cost, and its staff can point you to the programs below and to others in your county. Our Denver-metro senior resources directory lists every county office and senior center.

Help paying to heat the home

LEAP: Colorado's Low-income Energy Assistance Program

LEAP is the federally funded program that helps eligible Colorado households pay part of their winter heating costs. It is overseen by the Colorado Department of Human Services, with applications processed by its contractor.

• Season: the 2025–26 season ran from November 1 through April 30. Expect the 2026–27 season to open on a similar schedule; check the state LEAP page for the current dates.
• Who qualifies: households under the program's income limit, which Denver's LEAP page lists as up to 60% of state median income for 2025–26. Renters and homeowners can both apply.
• How to apply: online through the state's LEAP site, or by phone at 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) to request a paper application. Denver Human Services also helps Denver residents apply.
• Why it matters beyond the bill: qualifying for LEAP also opens the door to the furnace repair and weatherization programs below.

When the furnace fails

Energy Outreach Colorado, a statewide nonprofit, runs a Crisis Intervention Program that pays for emergency repair or replacement of home heating systems for income-qualified households, using a network of licensed HVAC contractors. Households that qualify for LEAP are eligible. If a furnace stops working in January, contact Energy Outreach Colorado or call 1-866-HEAT-HELP, and in the meantime keep the person somewhere warm. Do not use an oven, grill or unvented heater to heat the home; those create carbon monoxide and fire risks.

Free weatherization

The Colorado Energy Office's Weatherization Assistance Program provides free energy-efficiency improvements, such as insulation, air sealing and heating system work, for income-qualified homes. The state says households receiving LEAP, SSI, SNAP or TANF may qualify automatically, and renters can be served with the landlord's permission. Services are delivered by regional partners; the state's program page has a provider finder, or you can call 1-866-HEAT-HELP. Weatherization is not an emergency service, so apply in fall or early winter, not during a cold snap.

Snow and ice

Denver's sidewalk rule

In the City and County of Denver, homeowners and renters are responsible for clearing the public sidewalk next to their property, including adjacent curb ramps. Local reporting on the city's rules puts the deadline for residences at 24 hours after snow stops falling, with inspectors able to issue a notice and then a fine. Suburban cities set their own rules.

Denver Snow Angels

Denver Snow Angels is a city volunteer program, run through Denver Human Rights and Community Partnerships, that matches volunteers with residents who cannot shovel. To qualify you must live in the City and County of Denver, be an older adult who is physically unable to shovel or an adult living with a disability, and be unable to pay for a snow removal service. Register before the first big storm. Matches depend on volunteer availability, and the city notes that residents remain responsible for their sidewalk if no match is found, so ask a neighbor to be a backup.

Many suburbs, churches and senior centers run similar volunteer shoveling programs. Ask your city's senior center or your Area Agency on Aging.

Inside the house

Snow tracked in on boots turns entry floors slick. A heavy, absorbent mat inside each door, a chair to sit on while removing boots, and a light at every entrance are cheap fixes. Our fall prevention guide covers the rest of the home.

Property tax and rent relief

These programs do not arrive in winter, but winter is a good time to get the paperwork started.

• Colorado Property Tax/Rent/Heat Credit (PTC) Rebate. The Colorado Department of Revenue offers an annual rebate to full-year residents 65 or older, or surviving spouses 58 or older, with low incomes. For tax year 2025 the state lists income limits under $19,094 for a single filer and $25,788 for a married couple, a rebate of up to $1,178, and a filing deadline of December 31, 2027. Disabled applicants under 65 now use a separate credit on the income tax return.
• Colorado Senior Property Tax Exemption. Homeowners who are 65 or older by January 1 and have owned and lived in the home as their primary residence for at least ten consecutive years can have 50% of the first $200,000 of the home's actual value exempted from property tax. Apply through your county assessor by July 15. Once approved, it generally carries forward while you stay eligible.
• Denver Property Tax Relief Program. The City and County of Denver offers refunds to income-qualified Denver homeowners who are 62 or older, have a disability or are a surviving spouse, and to qualifying older or disabled renters. The city's current cycle covers 2025 taxes or rent and accepts applications through April 30, 2027, while funding lasts, with in-person help offered and the application available in English and Spanish.

Cold-weather warning signs

The National Institute on Aging explains that older adults can lose body heat faster than younger people, that some medical conditions and medicines make it harder to stay warm, and that a home kept at 60 to 65 degrees may not be warm enough. Warning signs of hypothermia include confusion or sleepiness, slurred speech, shivering or stiffness in the arms and legs, a weak pulse, and slow reactions. If you see them, call 911.

Practical habits for the season:

• Check on older neighbors and relatives daily during cold snaps, by phone if not in person.
• Dress in loose layers indoors, and keep a blanket where the person usually sits.
• Keep a working carbon monoxide alarm near sleeping areas.
• Stock a few days of food, water and medication before big storms, when getting out may not be safe.
• Keep phones charged and a flashlight within reach in case of an outage.

A safer bathroom for the season

Winter is when people spend the most time at home and when a fall can be hardest to recover from. If getting in and out of the tub has become difficult, you do not have to wait for spring. Our guide to preparing for a winter walk-in tub installation covers snow, pipes and hot water, and paying for a walk-in tub in Colorado explains what Medicaid waivers, the VA and other programs can and cannot cover. Aging Safely Baths & More, based in Denver since 2012, is happy to answer questions by phone, with no pressure to buy.

Last reviewed 2026-10-10.