Furloughed by the Shutdown? Denver Will Pay Your Mortgage

Denver homeowners who have been furloughed as a result of the partial government shutdown will get some relief from the city: They can apply for a city grant to pay up to two months (a maximum of $5,000) of mortgage payments, the Denver Post reports. "It's simply unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of federal workers and their families are being used as political pawns," Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release. "I don't want anyone to lose their home because of this shutdown, so Denver's going to step up and support our federal employee residents where we can." But anyone who has "experienced an income reduction due to involuntary employment change" can apply, starting Wednesday. No repayment is required, KDVR reports. (Food inspectors are heading back to work without pay.)