Opinion: How do people become homeless in Denver?

Photo byDenver Homeless Out Loud

One of the most frequent questions I get for my "Ask me anything" reports is, “How do people end up homeless in Denver?”

The annual Point in Time count collected that self-reported data this year. According to responses from 5,146 people (Denver’s total homeless population is 9,977) the reasons for becoming unhoused include:

1. Lost job/couldn’t find work, 23%

2. Unable to pay rent/mortgage, 21%

3. Relationship problems or family breakup, 19%

4. Alcohol/substance use 17%

5. Asked to leave/evicted, 17%

6. Abuse/violence at home, 14%

7. Mental health condition, 12%

8. Unable to pay utilities, 10%

9. PTSD, 9%

10. Family/personal illness, 8%

Simultaneous crises

I experienced several of these realities at the same time. I want to emphasize, however, that I was sober when I became homeless. In fact, my sobriety contributed to my homelessness because I lost all my friends when I quit drinking. I had no support network. It is a misconception that all homeless people have a drug and/or alcohol problem. Others develop such problems once they become homeless.

Photo byBermix StudioonUnsplash

Before I became homeless, my mental health had deteriorated to the point I was both seeing and hearing things. I obviously had trouble finding work as all I could talk about were conspiracies and that I thought someone was trying to kill me. I also was experiencing chronic PTSD after my house had twice been shot at as I was writing about missing people in my hometown.

On top of all this, my father died after an extended dementia illness. My dad supported me for many years when I was unable to work due to my mental illness. I helped him with errands and kept him company.

I also was asked to leave my apartment in Glendale, Colo. due to “strange behavior.” One day the property manager posted sealed envelopes all over my door. I never looked at them. Instead, I left with all my belongings still in the apartment and never returned.

LGBTQ+, veteran counts seem low

The Point in Time count also illuminated other statistics about homelessness. For example, it showed that 2% of people experiencing homelessness identified as LGBTQ+. That number seems exceptionally low based on my experience as a gay person who was homeless in Denver. However, it is not safe to be openly gay when you are living on the street so many keep it secret.

Photo bySteve KnutsononUnsplash

The percentage of homeless people who are veterans is 7%, according to the count, which also seems low. However, the city has been focusing on ending veteran homelessness the past few years. This number likely reflects those efforts.

Some groups overrepresented in count

Certain groups are overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness, according to the Point in Time count. There are 10 times as many Hawaiian natives and Pacific Islanders per capita who are homeless, the count showed. The number is 3.3 times as many for Black people and three times more likely for Native Americans or Alaskan Natives.

The number of newly homeless continues to increase in Denver. One in three identified as newly homeless during the count, while one in three also were classified as chronically homeless. Homeless services providers struggle to move the needle as more people enter the system and some refuse to accept housing. A total of 7,058 people stay in Denver shelters, according to the count, and 2,919 live outdoors or in other places not meant for human habitation.

Count likely misses many unhoused

Homeless advocates say the Point in Time count does not paint an accurate picture of the unhoused problem. It leaves out couch surfers, people in jail and other unhoused people who we cannot see.

On its website, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, which oversees the count, admits, “The Point in Time is only a snapshot of homelessness on a single night with numerous variables that could result in an undercount. For this reason, we do not recommend trending data year-over-year.”