LEARN MORE
HOMELESSNESS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
In 2019, several local governments in Jefferson County, Colorado partnered to conduct a month-long, comprehensive count of individuals experiencing homelessness. The Jefferson County comprehensive count attempted to reach individuals who met the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of literal homelessness and those who lack stable housing. The expanded definition was informed by the 2009 Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act with the aim to capture the unique characteristics of individuals experiencing homelessness in Jefferson County.
Click on image below to read full report.
STATE OF HOMELESSNESS REPORT - 2020
METRO DENVER AREA
October 12, 2020 – The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) released its State of Homelessness 2020 report highlighting never before seen data on homelessness in the Denver region.
The report, the first of its kind in the state, shows homelessness across multiple sources, including for the first time the data system the region has been working to implement widely with homeless service and housing providers. This data system showed that 31,207 individuals accessed services or housing supports related to homelessness between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Also included in the report is data on individuals being prioritized for housing, a deep dive into the region’s Point in Time (PIT) count which occurred in January, and numbers collected by school districts across the seven-county metro region.
“For the first time, we have real-time data on how many people are seeking support as a result of homelessness,” said Matt Meyer, Executive Director of MDHI. “While there are variances between data sets, one thing is consistent – racial inequity,” adding, “We need to address this if we want to make meaningful progress on homelessness.”
See the full version of the report here.
CLOSE TO HOME CAMPAIGN
Close to Home is working to raise awareness of homelessness in Colorado. Increase your understanding of homelessness, hear the stories of those who have experienced homelessnes, and learn how you can take action at closetohomeco.org.
POINT-IN-TIME (PIT) COUNT
What is the Point-in-Time Count (PIT)?
The PIT Count and survey is an unduplicated count of people experiencing literal homelessness on a single night in January. HUD defines literal homelessness as living in places not meant for habitation, shelter, and some transitional housing programs. Persons at risk of becoming homeless (such as those staying with friends/family or paying to stay in a motel) are not included in this count.
Why, when and where is it conducted?
While helping to determine the scope of homelessness, the PIT raises public awareness, promotes collaboration across seven counties, provides needed data, and helps us apply for increased housing funds. The PIT occurs one one day during the last 10 days in January each year in all 7 counties across the Denver metro Continuum of Care (CoC), including Jefferson.
Click here for a full list of County-specific reports and interactive dashboards, compiled by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI).