A Snapshot of Homelessness in the Colorado Balance of ...

[Pages:39]A Snapshot of Homelessness in the Colorado Balance of State Continuum of Care

2018 Homeless Point in Time Study Sheltered Count

Report prepared by OMNI Institute

Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

Acknowledgements

Regional PIT Coordinators work to publicize the count and provide updated information about homeless programs in their region. Prior to and during the count, coordinators arrange and communicate with point people in each identified program. They provide training, coordinate surveyors and volunteers, and distribute survey forms. PIT Coordinators also collect and organize all PIT forms to help compile the data quickly and efficiently.

The 2018 point-in-time (PIT) count for the Colorado Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) would not have been possible without the participation of the Regional PIT Coordinators and their many volunteers.

REGION Northeast Plains

Northern Front Range

COUNTIES Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Yuma and Washington Larimer (Loveland)

REGIONAL COORDINATOR(S) Jan Schiller ? SHARE Inc.

Alison Hade ? City of Loveland

Larimer (Ft. Collins)

Vanessa Fenley ? United Way of Larimer County and United Way of Weld County

Zach Penland ? Housing Catalyst

Weld

Melanie Falvo, Cassy Westmoreland, and Kayla Evans ? Weld County United Way

Pueblo County

Pueblo

Anne Stattelman ? Posada, Inc.

Las Animas/Huerfano Counties

Las Animas and Huerfano Charlene Tortorice ? Advocates Against Domestic Assault

Upper Arkansas Valley

Fremont, Custer, Chaffee, Lake, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Park and Teller

DeeDee Clement ? Loaves & Fishes Ministries of Fremont County

San Luis Valley

Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos, Tara Bay and Judy McNeilsmith ? La Rio Grande, Mineral and Puente Home, Inc. Saguache

Western Slope

Montrose, Delta,

Cheryl Oeltjenbruns ? The Abraham

Gunnison, Ouray, Hinsdale Connection

and San Miguel

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Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

REGION Southwest Colorado

COUNTIES La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan and Archuleta

REGIONAL COORDINATOR(S) Tami Miller and Lora Sholes ? Housing Solutions for the Southwest

Grand Valley

Mesa, Moffat and Rio Blanco

Beverly Lampley ? Grand Valley Catholic Outreach

Roaring Fork and Eagle Valleys

Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin, Summit, Routt, Grand and Jackson

Marian McDonough and Rebecca Rippy ? Catholic Charities Western Slope

Claudia Hurtado-Myers and Holly KasperBlank ? Bright Future Foundation

Central and Southeast Plains

Ft. Lyon

Jason Holt - Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community

Advisory Council for Homeless Youth & Rural Collaborative for Homeless Youth

Statewide, based out of Denver Metro

Cheryl Secorski - Office of Homeless Youth Services

Denise McHugh ? Spark Community Foundation

All Regions

All Counties

Shawn Hayes and Tom Power ? Colorado Coalition for the Homeless

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Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Interpreting PIT Data............................................................................................................................... 6

Snapshot of 2018 PIT Data.......................................................................................................................... 7 Findings ....................................................................................................................................................... 8

Demographics.......................................................................................................................................... 8 Risk Factors.............................................................................................................................................. 9 Conclusion................................................................................................................................................. 11 Appendix A: Geographic Comparisons ..................................................................................................... 12 Appendix B: County Data .......................................................................................................................... 16 Appendix C: Entitlement City Data ........................................................................................................... 35

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Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

Introduction

Each year the Colorado Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) conducts a point-in-time (PIT) study of the homeless population in Colorado's non-metro and rural counties. The PIT count has two major goals:

? Conducting an unduplicated count of individuals and families meeting the HUD definition of homelessness

? Capturing information about demographic characteristics and risk factors related to homelessness

The Balance of State CoC covers the 56 non-metro and rural counties of Colorado. This includes all counties outside of metro Denver and Colorado Springs (El Paso County). This year the point-in-time count was held the night of January 23, 2018.

The CoC covers 56 counties across Colorado.

Annual PIT counts are required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a condition of applying for HUD homeless assistance funds. Point-in-time counts are important because they provide yearly data to quantify the scope of homelessness and help national, state, and local policymakers track progress towards the goal of ending homelessness.

Methodology

During even numbered years, the CoC conducts a sheltered PIT count. During odd numbered years, the

CoC conducts both a sheltered and unsheltered PIT count. In 2018 the CoC conducted a sheltered PIT

count of individuals and families staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs. The PIT Count was conducted in accordance with the HUD methodology guide1 and the HUD data collection notice2 for the 2018 count. The survey instrument was developed by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), in consultation with their research partner, OMNI Institute.

Regional PIT Coordinators throughout the state were responsible for planning the PIT count in their regions, training staff and volunteers, and conducting the count. On January 23, service

Sheltered PIT count includes people who are staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.

Unsheltered PIT count includes people whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular

provider staff and volunteers administered the PIT survey forms to sheltered homeless people throughout the Balance of State region. Eighteen counties participated in the 2018 PIT count.

sleeping accommodation for people (for example, the streets, vehicles, or parks)

1 Point-in-Time Count Methodology Guide, HUD, 2014 2 Notice for Housing Inventory Count (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) Data Collection for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program, HUD, September 20, 2017

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Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018 Survey forms were collected and reviewed by CCH. OMNI Institute completed data entry of all the PIT survey data. The research team performed numerous checks to identify data entry errors, logic errors, and duplicate surveys. A total of 14 surveys were removed in the data cleaning process ? 9 surveys were removed due to missing data and 5 surveys were identified as duplicates and removed.

Interpreting PIT Data

The point-in-time count provides a snapshot of homelessness on a single night in January. Due to the transient nature of the population and the large geographic area of the Balance of State region, it is extremely difficult to capture all homeless individuals and families. Because of this, the 2018 PIT count should be considered an underrepresentation of homelessness in the Balance of State region. The PIT survey relies on self-reporting, which may impact the data. Individuals may be unwilling to disclose certain information or may not realize that they meet the criteria for a specific condition. Many of the disabling conditions included on the PIT survey are stigmatized, which may lead to underreporting. Finally, changes in the homeless population year to year cannot be solely determined by examining PIT data. Each year changes are made to the PIT methodology and survey forms. Additionally, local conditions such as the number of participating agencies, the number of volunteers, and unseasonably warm or cool weather can impact both the number of individuals who seek shelter and the number of individuals included in the PIT count. We recommend caution when comparing PIT count data over time. Increases or decreases in the homeless population may be due to methodology or changes in local conditions instead of true changes in homeless populations.

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Snapshot of 2018 PIT Data

Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

1,481

homeless men, women, and children in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs in the Balance of State region in 2018

Over 50% of homeless individuals were surveyed in Mesa County, Larimer County, and Pueblo County during the 2018 PIT Count

36% were families with children

41% have at least one disabling condition

15% were chronically homeless

14% were fleeing domestic violence

8% were veterans

7% were youth

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Colorado Balance of State: Point in Time Study | 2018

Findings

Across the Balance of State region, there were 1,481 homeless men, women, and children staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs in 2018. HUD groups individuals into one of three "household types" ? households without children; households with at least one adult and one child; and households with only children. Children are defined as persons under 18. In 2018, the majority of households did not include children.

Table 1. Household Type

Household without Children Household with at Least 1 Child and 1 Adult Household with Only Children Under 18

Frequency 942 535 4

Percent 63.6% 36.1% 0.3%

Demographics

Respondents reported the age range for each household member ? adults (over age 25), youth (age 18-24) or children (under 18). Because exact ages were not reported, average age cannot be reported. The majority of individuals counted were adults over the age of 25. Less than a quarter of individuals were children under 18.

Table 2. Age

Children (age 0-17) Youth (age 18-24) Adults (age 25+)

Frequency 322 108 1051

Percent 21.7% 7.3% 71.0%

Male identified respondents outnumbered female identified respondents nearly two to one among the homeless persons counted.

Table 3. Gender

Male Female Missing Transgender Gender Non-Conforming3

Frequency 914 557 4 3 3

Percent 61.7% 37.6% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2%

3 Does not identify as exclusively male or female

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