There has to be no bigger struggle in life than that of being homeless, spending each day without a concrete idea of what lies ahead of you each night is a frightening way to live. This insecurity coupled with the Denver’s crippling winters push local shelters to capacity. What is it truly like to be homeless in Denver?
According to the Denver Point-In-Time Homelessness Survey, conducted annually, homelessness is on the decline. However in 2018 (the last year that has been published), the numbers of unsheltered homeless and chronically homeless are rising. According to this survey, the seven-county metro area’s homeless population fluctuated between 5,000 and 6,000 since 2015.
In a document published by the Colorado state government, in 2016 there were an estimated 10,550 homeless individuals in the State. This means that nearly half of all homeless in Colorado reside in Denver or surrounding counties.
“It’s a real issue,” said Daniel Brisson, Executive Director of the Center on Housing and Homelessness Research (CHHR) at the University of Denver in an email interview. The CHHR provides research, evaluation, training and technical assistance on the issues of homelessness and housing insecurity. Brisson further emphasized the struggles the homeless are facing with the camping ban, and currently, corona virus.
The MFJS Reporter -- Winter 2020 T-R 