Housing first, housing plus: How counties in metro Denver tackle homelessness

The increase in Denver's homeless population wiped out any gains made by other counties in the metropolis.

All told, the population rose by nearly a thousand people in the metro region compared to the year before, according to the annual point in time count.

But the sheer size of Denver's homeless population meant the 12% increase recorded in the city pulled the entire region's numbers up.

Denver's homeless population rose by 721, which accounted for 79% of the increase — 925 more — in the metropolis.

Local governments and nonprofits have poured significant resources into fighting the problem.

Here's a glimpse into some of the counties' strategies:

'Housing plus' in Douglas County

Douglas County approaches homelessness from a “housing plus” perspective, officials said.

The county, which saw eight more homeless people compared to 2023, recorded the lowest number of homeless individuals — 80 — among the seven counties surveyed.

In comparison, the City and County of Denver recorded more than 6,500 homeless people, a 12% increase compared to last year.

Douglas County takes a "co-response" approach to homelessness, meaning it sends out teams of law enforcement officials paired with navigators trained in behavioral health who engage with anyone in crisis, according to Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon.

The teams called Homeless Engagement Assistance Resource Teams (HEART) provide protection for the navigators, patrons and residents.

“We received a lot of pushback for our homelessness model, but Douglas County has virtually eradicated homelessness since January. We’re now about as close as you can get to functional zero,” Laydon told The Denver Gazette in an interview.

Laydon also said the county has adopted a “housing-plus” perspective on homelessness, placing housing, food, addiction help, and other services on equal footing.

“I’m really interested in seeing our HEART team go out and provide regional solutions to other counties,” he said.

'Housing first' in Boulder

Boulder saw 112 fewer homeless people than last year — the biggest decrease among the counties surveyed.

The county attributed much of its success in decreasing homelessness to its “housing-first” approach, saying access to housing has a direct impact on the problem.

In 2017, the county has provided “timely and appropriate” housing services first and then provided more long-term solutions, according to Heidi Grove, the division director for homelessness in Boulder.

Since January 2020, Boulder has transitioned more than 1,400 individuals into permanent housing, and it also created a new homeless housing development in January called Bluebird Boulder, Grove said.

Grove noted the limitations of the annual point of time count, which showed that the homeless population in metro Denver grew by 10% compared to the year before, based on the survey on a single night in January.

The quality and completeness of data vary because it only measures a single point in time, she said.

“It is important to note that, while the point in time count is helpful, we tend to rely more on rolling annual data that are collected through our local coordinated entry process,” Grove said.

Relatively flat in Adams County

Adams County’s numbers remained relatively the same, with only 22 more homeless people than in 2023, a 2% increase.

The county has seen a large cycling of homeless individuals, meaning that while many are exiting homelessness through permanent housing, just as many are entering homelessness.

Matt Rivera, the director of Community Safety and Well-Being for Adams County, posited that rising housing costs and inflation are the biggest factors of homelessness in the area and that they “balance out” the county’s expanding rehousing services.

Rivera still supports the “housing first” approach.

Supporters define "housing first" as responding to an individual's most acute need first, which is housing, and then offering other services after. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless explained the concept this way: "It is important to note that housing first does not mean 'Housing Only.' Rather, Housing First best practices dictate that intensive treatment and case management be offered to those housed through the program."

"The main distinction is that treatment is not a pre-condition of receiving housing," the group added. "Treatment services are provided after housing is obtained, once the treatment provider has gained the trust of the individual and is ready to accept treatment."

Other places put emphasis on work or treatment. Aurora, for example, took notes from strategies used in Houston, Texas, and borrowed from “work-first” and “treatment-first” models by providing anyone in need with emergency services but offering more robust services to people who are participating in the workforce and receiving any behavioral health treatment they may need.

“The housing-first approach is the gold standard for homelessness reduction, which has been evidenced via numerous studies. However, the housing-first approach is difficult to implement,” Rivera of Adams County told the Denver Gazette.

Adams County designs its programs to be low-barrier, trauma-informed, and housing-focused, and it is looking to expand its affordable housing year after year, Rivera said.