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Homelessness in the Denver Metropolitan Area 2011 Homeless Point‐In‐Time Study
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Homelessness in the Denver Metropolitan Area
2011 Homeless Point‐In‐Time Study
Copyright 2011 All Right Reserved. Permission to use, copy, and distribute this document without fee is hereby granted for any educational or non‐profit purpose provided that this copyright notice appears in all copies, the text is not modified in any way, and that the document is applied to non‐commercial use only.
Acknowledgements
This is the tenth Homeless Point‐in‐Time study conducted by The Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) since 1998. Linda Barringer and Pat Lease, Co‐Chairs of MDHI’s Research Committee, supervised the study. The Denver Department of Human Services and Broomfield Department of Human Services contributed funding for this project. MDHI identified people in each jurisdiction to help coordinate and to ensure that all providers within their jurisdiction were participating, attending training, and distributing and collecting survey forms. The outstanding participation by all area providers in the 2011 survey was a direct result of the coordinated efforts of the following point persons:
Adams County Alicia Aguilar & Isabel Traver
Arapahoe County Signy Mikita, Josh Meis, Keith Singer, Cara Tejada
Aurora Sharon Duwaik
Boulder County Leslie Gibson & Agatha Moya
City and County of Broomfield Sharon Farrell & Jan Hamilton
City and County of Denver Sam Bowersox‐Daly and Amber Callender
Douglas County Peter Ericson & Valerie Robson
Jefferson County Linda Barringer, Jennifer Murphy, Rick Roberts
Domestic Violence Providers Wendy Oldenbrook
Outreach Randle Loeb
Veterans Pat Lease
Youth Nicole Sherwood
A special acknowledgement is made to Desta Taye‐Channell with Mile High United Way who assisted with volunteer recruitment for the Point in Time count. A special thank you to Pat Lease for her many years of supervision, input and guidance in producing the Point‐In‐Time report.
This study could not have been completed without the support and dedication of the many homeless service providers throughout the Denver Metropolitan area. A special note of thanks goes to the hard working individuals who strive to provide
a decent and safe place for homeless people to live.
Finally, this report would not have been possible without the cooperation of the survey respondents who completed surveys and provided us with confidential information
about their experiences and reasons for homelessness. Collectively, these survey responses provide all of us with a better understanding
of the local magnitude of homelessness and the work that lies ahead of us to ensure that all people in our community have a safe and decent place to call home.
MDHI Board of Directors
Randle Loeb, MDHI President Community Representative
Bray Patrick‐Lake, MDHI Vice President Founder and Executive Director H.O.P.E.
Linda Barringer, MDHI Secretary Director of Family and Housing Services Family Tree
John Parvensky, MDHI Treasurer President and CEO Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Paul Andrus Community Development Planner City of Aurora
Annie Bacci Asset Manager Division of Housing
Liesl Begnaud Program Manager Jewish Family Service of Colorado
Geoff Bennett Vice President for Shelter and Community Outreach Catholic Charities
Robin Bohannan Director Boulder County Community Services Dept.
Jean Garrison Deputy Director St. Francis Center
Everett Grove Aurora Mental Health Residential Supervisor
Pat Lease Owner Lease Associates
Sarah Maxwell Executive Director Stride
Signy Mikita Block Grant Program Administrator Arapahoe County Housing
Deborah Ortega Regional Services Director Denver Human Services
Kay Ramachandran CEO Urban Peak
Linda Richardson Community Representative
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative
PARTICIPATING AGENCIES
COUNTY PROGRAM
ADAMS ACCESS HOUSING
ADAMS COUNTY GOODWILL INDUSTRIES
ADAMS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
ADAMS COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES
ALMOST HOME
ALTERNATIVES TO FAMILY VIOLENCE
AURORA INTERCHURCH TASK FORCE
AURORA HOUSING CORP
CENTER FOR WORK EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
CENTER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT‐COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF
AURORA
COLFAX COMMUNITY NETWORK
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
COMMUNITY OF FAITH UNITED
COMMUNITY REACH CENTER
FAMILY TREE
FRIENDS OF ST ANDREW
FRIENDS OF ST FRANCIS
GROWING HOME
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY FOOD BANK
METRO COMMUNITY PROVIDER NETWORK‐NORTH
PLATTE VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
RESTORATION OUTREACH
ROAD CALLED STRATE
SCHOOL DISTRICT 27J‐BRIGHTON
THE COUNCIL AND COMITIS FAMILY SERVICES
THORNTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
ARAPAHOE ARAPAHOE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER
ARAPAHOE COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES
ARAPAHOE COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE
ARAPAHOE DOUGLAS WORKS
ARAPAHOE HOUSE
ARAPAHOE/DOUGLAS MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK
AURORA MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
AURORA VETERANS HOUSE
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative
CATHOLIC CHARITIES AURORA EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE CENTER
CHERRY CREEK SCHOOLS
CORNERSTONE FOOD BANK
FAMILY TREE HOUSE OF HOPE
GATEWAY BATTERED WOMEN’S SERVICES
INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK
INTER FAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
LITTLETON HOUSING AUTHORITY
LOVE INC
MARTIN LUTHER KING LIBRARY
METRO COMMUNITY PROVIDER NETWORK‐AURORA
SALVATION ARMY AURORA FOOD BANK
SALVATION ARMY ‐ ENGLEWOOD
SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER
BOULDER ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE
ATTENTION HOMES
BAR L MOTEL
BOULDER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
BOULDER COUNTY AIDS PROJECT
BOULDER COUNTY HEAD START
BOULDER COUNTY LEGAL SERVICES
BOULDER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH—GENESIS AND GENESISTER PROGRAMS
BOULDER COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT—JAIL DIVISION
BOULDER HOUSING PARTNERS
BOULDER OUTREACH FOR HOMELESS OVERFLOW (BOHO)
BOULDER PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOULDER SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS
BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
CARRIAGE HOUSE DAY SHELTER AND COMMUNITY TABLE
CENTER FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (CPWD)
CITY OF BOULDER CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES
CITY OF BOULDER SENIOR SERVICES
CITY OF LAFAYETTE SENIOR SERVICES
CITY OF LONGMONT CHILDREN AND YOUTH RESOURCES
CITY OF LONGMONT LIBRARY
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
On Monday night, January 24, 2011, there were an estimated 11,377 homeless men, women,
and children in Metropolitan Denver.
Total Homeless Including Counts and Estimates
SURVEY DATA Respondents 5,515Family members 4,636Total SURVEY All Homeless 10,151Additional family members not fully identified 1,226TOTAL HOMELESS ESTIMATE 11,377
Families / Households
Family Type – All Homeless
All Homeless
Percent of All
Homeless
Single 3,345 33.0
Single parent with children under 18 3,670 36.2
Couple with children under 18 2,553 25.2
Couple without children 583 5.7
Total 10,151 100.0
Homeless persons are much more likely to be living in households with children: 62 percent versus 38 percent.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Race/Ethnicity Compared to the general population of Denver‐Aurora‐Broomfield, CO Metro Area (2005‐2009), whites are under‐represented and minorities are over‐represented among the homeless population.1 Where on Monday Night
The largest proportion (42.1%) of all homeless persons spent Monday night in the City and
County of Denver. More, however, spent Monday night in other Metro area counties (57.9%).
Households with children
and without children differ
in the county where they
spent the night of the
survey. The majority of
households without
children (55.6%) indicated
that they spent that night
in Denver. Conversely, the
1 U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder. ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2005‐2009. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&‐geo_id=31000US19740&‐qr_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_DP5YR5&‐context=adp&‐ds_name=&‐tree_id=5309&‐_lang=en&‐redoLog=false&‐format
County Where Persons Spent Monday Night – All Homeless
Respondents All Homeless Percent of All
Homeless
Adams County 607 1,531 15.5
Arapahoe County 423 866 8.7
Boulder County 943 1,779 18.0
Broomfield City & County 115 241 2.4
Denver City & County 2,638 4,166 42.1
Douglas County 72 125 1.3
Jefferson County 534 1,191 12.0
1.2% 3.3%
19.7%
45.0%
7.0%
23.3%
3.4% 0.5%5.2%
67.0%
1.8%
21.8%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Asian,Pacific Islander
Native American,
Alaska Native
Black, African American
White Mixed Hispanic,Latino, Spanish
2011 Point-In-Time StudyEthnicity of Homeless Respondents Compared to
2005-2009 American Community Survey (ACS) Demographic EstimatesDenver-Aurora-Broomfield Metro Area
2011 Homeless Respondents
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
majority of households with children (65.9%) spent Monday night in counties other than
Denver.
On Monday night, all homeless people were predominantly staying temporarily with family or
friends (30.9), in transitional housing (23.5%) or in an emergency shelter (17.4%).
Nature of Homelessness
For the purpose of this study, people were considered “newly homeless” if they had been
homeless for less than one year and this was their first episode of homelessness. On January
24, 2011, nearly one in four (23.7%) or 2,402 people, were considered newly homeless. Of the
newly homeless, fully two‐thirds (66.6%) were in households with children.
New this year, HUD includes families in its definition of chronically homeless. There are 466
chronically homeless respondents who meet HUD’s definition. Slightly more than three‐
quarters (76.4%) are male.
Chronically Homeless by Family Type – Respondents
Number Percent
Single 363 77.9
Single parent with children under 18 50 10.7
Couple with children under 18 18 3.9
Couple without children 35 7.5
Total 466 100.0
Of all homeless, persons in families comprise one‐third (33.2%) of all chronically homeless
persons.
ALL Homeless – Chronically Homeless by Family Type
All Homeless
Percent of All
Homeless
Single 393 66.8%
Single parent with children under 18 88 15.0%
Couple with children under 18 37 6.3%
Couple without children 70 11.9%
Total 588 100.0%
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1
II. UNDERSTANDING THE DATA .................................................................................................................. 3
III. FINDINGS ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Total Estimated Homeless Persons........................................................................................................... 5
1. Family Type ....................................................................................................................................... 6
IV. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................... 22
List of Tables and Figures ...................................................................................................................... 24
APPENDIX A: Chronically Homeless in Emergency Shelter and Unsheltered ............................................ Appendix_1 APPENDIX B: Respondent Ages by Family Type, by Metro Area and County ........................................... Appendix_2 APPENDIX C: County Data Tables ............................................................................................................. Appendix_20 APPENDIX D: County Data Tables for Respondents Who Spent Monday Night in a County Other than the County Reported as their Last Permanent Residence ............................ Appendix_106 APPENDIX E: PIT Surveys......................................................................................................................... Appendix_197
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 1
Ending homelessness must begin with the understanding that people
who are or have been homeless are our neighbors and members of our community.
‐‐National Coalition for the Homeless
On Monday night, January 24, 2011, there were an estimated 11,377 homeless men, women,
and children in Metropolitan Denver.
I. INTRODUCTION
With the help of volunteers, service providers, staff, and outreach workers, the Metropolitan
Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) conducted a point‐in‐time (PIT) study of homeless persons
in the seven‐county Denver metropolitan area. A point‐in‐time count provides a snapshot of
homelessness by counting those who are homeless at a particular time. However, surveyors
can easily “miss” homeless individuals and families.
The Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) is a coalition working with homeless
assistance agencies in the seven‐county Denver metropolitan area to coordinate the delivery of
housing and services to homeless families, individuals, youth and persons with disabilities.
MDHI seeks to provide the leadership, support and structure necessary to develop and sustain
a comprehensive system of housing and services for those experiencing homelessness.
Referred to as the Continuum of Care, this system encompasses Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder,
Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson Counties. With emphasis on prevention, MDHI
works to unite housing and service providers, neighborhoods, funders, business and non‐profit
organizations, government agencies and other groups and individuals across the metropolitan
area in an ongoing effort to break the cycle of homelessness and help homeless persons
achieve and maintain maximum self‐sufficiency.
Designing, implementing and maintaining a Continuum of Care homeless service delivery
system requires the on‐going collection and analysis of data on the number, location and
demographic characteristics of homeless persons who need access to emergency shelter,
supportive housing, permanent housing and specialized services. The U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the primary source of federal funding for housing
support for homeless people, requires that each Continuum of Care across the country conduct
a “point‐in‐time” survey every two years during the month of January. HUD, MDHI, local
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 2
governments and service providers use the information collected by the point‐in‐time survey to
assess, project and plan strategies and services to eliminate homelessness.
MDHI defines homelessness as:
Sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, or
abandoned or condemned buildings;
Sleeping in an emergency shelter;
Spending a short time (30 consecutive days or less) in a hospital or other institution, but
ordinarily sleeping in the types of places mentioned above;
Living in transitional/supportive housing but having come from streets or emergency
shelters;
Staying temporarily with family or friends while looking for a permanent place to live;
Staying temporarily in a hotel/motel while looking for shelter or housing;
Being evicted within a week from a private dwelling unit and having no subsequent
residence identified and lacking the resources and support networks needed to obtain
access to housing; or,
Being discharged from an institution within seven days and having no subsequent
residence identified and lacking the resources and support networks needed to obtain
access to housing.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 3
II. UNDERSTANDING THE DATA
Undercounting
There is no disagreement that it is difficult to count homeless people. The one consistent
finding in all the research on homelessness is that surveys undercount homeless populations. It
is easy to “miss” homeless individuals and families ‐‐ they might not receive services at the
agencies where homeless persons are counted on the night of the PIT, or if they do frequent a
particular agency, they might not be there during the count. People enter and leave
homelessness frequently and may become homeless shortly after the point‐in‐time study. The
comprehensiveness of a sheltered homeless count is entirely dependent upon the level of
participation of agencies and organizations that serve homeless individuals and families.
Unsheltered homeless people are particularly difficult to count. By definition, they are not in
places where they can easily be counted, such as transitional housing and homeless shelters.1
Many homeless people are not counted because they are not in places where they can be
found, much less where they have the opportunity to complete a survey, such as those living in
automobiles and other kinds of crude and temporary housing. Some groups may be
underrepresented among service users, including youth, recently homeless persons, and
persons who are doubled up with friends and family.2 Others are homeless due to domestic
violence and, because of confidentiality concerns, do not complete surveys. Still other
homeless people are likely afraid of being counted, such as undocumented persons.
Submitted Surveys
Table 1 describes the number of point‐in‐time surveys collected by agency staff and volunteers
and the number of surveys removed from the final database.
Table 1. Survey Collection and Elimination
Surveys collected 7,067 Not homeless removed 1,282 Duplicates removed 235 Spent night out of Metro area removed 35 Final cases in database 5,515
1 For example, “Number of Homeless Ohioans,” Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, 8/27/02; “Report on Homelessness in North Dakota, March 2005” (p. 15); S.J. Farrell and E.D. Reissing, “Picking Up the Challenge: Developing a Methodology to Enumerate and Assess the Needs of the Street Homeless Population, Evaluation Review, Vol. 28, No. 2, April 2004, pp. 144‐155. 2 Ibid.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 4
Variables
Some variables are reported only for respondents and others for both respondents and all
homeless. For all homeless people, the data represent respondents and the family members
who are with them. Table 2 describes which variables from the survey are reported for
respondents, for all homeless and for both.
Table 2. Reporting on Survey Data Points / Variables
VARIABLES
RESPONDENTS
ALL HOMELESS
Age X
Chronic homelessness X X
City X
County X X
Disabling conditions3 X
Duration of homelessness X
Episodes of homelessness X
Ethnicity X
Foster care X
Family type X X
Gender X
Government benefits X
Households with and without children X X
Last permanent place X
Military service X
Where spent Monday night X X
Newly homeless X
Reasons for homelessness X
Unsheltered X
Working X
MDHI’s 2011 point‐in‐time homeless count recruited as many service providers, volunteers and
outreach workers as possible, and they assisted homeless (or assumed homeless) individuals to
complete a two‐sided survey in order to facilitate survey distribution and administration. They
used an extensive system of trained agency staff and volunteers to collect the survey data in
order to keep the cost of the point‐in‐time count affordable.
3 Respondents were asked, “Do you or any adult in your household (eighteen or older) have any of the following disabling conditions”? In prior years, respondents were asked to report their own disabling conditions only.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 5
III. FINDINGS
Some survey respondents did not answer every question. Therefore, the percentages reported
in each sub‐section of the report and in individual tables and graphs represent only those
people who answered the particular question, not the total number of respondents. In other
words, unless otherwise noted, the percentages do not include “missing” responses.
Additionally, when adding up numbers in various categories, the number will not always equal
the number of “respondents” or “all homeless” due to survey questions that were not
answered.
The findings are reported for respondents and all homeless. Respondents are those individuals
who completed the survey. The “all homeless” category is the sum of respondents and the
homeless family members with them. The findings are reported in one or both of these two
categories, depending on which category is most useful and informative and on whether the
variable logically can be imputed to all homeless. For example, military status can be reported
for respondents only, while it makes sense to report where people spent Monday night for all
homeless.
Total Estimated Homeless Persons
Some respondents who identified themselves as having children, either as part of a couple or as
a single parent, did not document these family members when completing their survey. Other
respondents reported they were part of a couple without children but did not document their
spouse or partner. The number of persons who were not included by respondents is estimated
at 1,226.4 This estimate was added to the total homeless estimate, but was not included in the
analyses of all homeless.
The total homeless count, including the estimate of unreported family members, is shown in
Table 3 below.
Table 3. Total Homeless Including Counts and Estimates
SURVEY DATA Respondents 5,515Family members 4,636Total SURVEY All Homeless 10,151Additional family members not fully identified 1,226TOTAL HOMELESS ESTIMATE 11,377
4 For each family type, the researchers calculated the average number of family members for respondents who reported data for themselves and family members. The researchers applied the average number of family members – minus the respondent ‐‐ for each given family type to respondents who did not document family members. The estimates were then summed across family types.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 6
DEMOGRAPHICS
1. Family Type
The family type identified by the person who completed the survey reflects how they portray
themselves. People who identified themselves as single or as part of a couple without children
are grouped as “Households without Children.” People who identified themselves as a single
parent with children or as part of a couple with children are categorized as “Households with
Children.”5 Family type is reported for respondents and for all homeless, while households with
and without children is reported only for all homeless.
Table 4 describes respondents by family type and Table 5 shows the percentage of all homeless
people by family type.6
Table 4. Family Type ‐ Respondents
Frequency Percent
Single 3,065 55.6
Single parent with children under 18 1,415 25.7
Couple with children under 18 728 13.2
Couple without children 307 5.6
Total 5,515 100.0
Table 5. Family Type – All Homeless
All Homeless
Percent of All
Homeless
Single 3,345 33.0
Single parent with children under 18 3,670 36.2
Couple with children under 18 2,553 25.2
Couple without children 583 5.7
Total 10,151 100.0
Figure 1. All Homeless by Households With and Without Children
Homeless persons are much more
likely to be living in households with
children: 62 percent versus 38 percent.
5 There are some exceptions to this rule. Please see Methodology Section. 6 Appendix B contains a table of ages by family type.
Households Without Children
38.0%
HouseholdsWith Children
62.0%
Persons in Households With and Without ChildrenAll Homeless
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 7
2. Ages
Respondents range in age from 13 to 85 years. Their average age is 39.9 years old.
Table 6. Ages ‐ Respondents
Frequency Percent
Teen (13‐17) 86 1.7
Young Adult (18‐25) 883 17.0
Adult (26‐64) 4,113 79.4
Senior (65 and over) 97 1.9
Total 5,179 100.0
3. Gender
Male respondents outnumber female respondents: 54.3 percent to 45.4 percent. Eighteen
people (0.3%) identified themselves as transgender.
4. Race/Ethnicity/Language of Respondents
Figure 2. Ethnicity Comparison
Compared to the
general population of
Denver‐Aurora‐
Broomfield, CO Metro
Area (2005‐2009),
whites are under‐
represented and
minorities are over‐
represented among the
homeless population.7
Five percent completed
the survey in Spanish.
7 U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder. ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2005‐2009. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&‐geo_id=31000US19740&‐qr_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_DP5YR5&‐context=adp&‐ds_name=&‐tree_id=5309&‐_lang=en&‐redoLog=false&‐format
1.2% 3.3%
19.7%
45.0%
7.0%
23.3%
3.4%0.5%
5.2%
67.0%
1.8%
21.8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Asian,Pacific Islander
Native American,
Alaska Native
Black, African American
White Mixed Hispanic,Latino, Spanish
Ethnicity of Homeless Respondents Compared to 2005-2009 American Community Survey (ACS) Demographic Estimates
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metro Area
2011 Homeless Respondents
2005-2009 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metro Area
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 8
HOUSING AND RISK FACTORS FOR HOMELESSNESS
5. Reasons for Homelessness
Respondents were given a list of possible reasons for their homelessness and asked to indicate
“all that apply.” Overall, loss of a job was the most common reason given, followed by housing
costs, relationship or family breakup, substance abuse and eviction or foreclosure.
Table 7. Reasons for Homelessness
Frequency Percent
Lost job/can’t find work 2,060 37.4
Housing costs too high 985 17.9
Relationship or family break‐up/death in the family 936 17.0
Substance abuse 625 11.3
Eviction/foreclosure 608 11.0
Mental illness, emotional problems 602 10.9
Medical problems including physical, dev disability 513 9.3
Abuse or violence in home 482 8.7
Have work but wages too low 481 8.7
Discharged from jail, prison, halfway house 435 7.9
Utility costs too high 397 7.2
Runaway/discharged from foster care 132 2.4
Sexual orientation 40 0.7
Other reason 377 6.8
Survey respondents wrote in “other” reasons for their current episode of homelessness. The
most common “other” reason for homelessness was that the respondent recently moved to the
Metro area. Other common reasons were various problems with government benefits:
respondents had lost their benefits, were waiting for benefits, could not get benefits or
reported that their benefit allocation was not enough money to live on. Additional reasons for
homelessness were landlord problems, bad credit, dangerous or unhealthy living conditions
(overcrowding, bed bugs, building unsafe or not up to code), immigration issues including
deportation, child support or alimony problems, legal issues, pregnancy, or respondents simply
reported having “no money.”
There are differences between households with and without children in their reasons for
homelessness, some more striking than others. Table 8 compares the five most frequently
reported reasons overall by households with and without children.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 9
Table 8. Top Five Reasons for Homelessness – Respondents in Households With and Without
Children
Reasons
Households Without
Children
Households With
Children
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Lost job/can’t find work 1,304 39.4 756 34.3
Housing costs too high 476 14.4 509 23.1
Relationship or family break‐up/death in the family 454 13.7 482 21.8
Substance abuse 484 14.6 141 6.4
Eviction/foreclosure 305 9.2 303 13.7
6. Disabling Conditions
HUD requires that the point‐in‐time survey include questions asking respondents to identify if,
at the time of the survey, they had any of the following disabling conditions – serious mental
illness, a serious medical condition, chronic substance abuse issues, a developmental disability,
or HIV/AIDS. Nearly half (44.5%) respondents reported that they or some adult in their
household had at least one disabling condition including some “other” disabling condition.
While almost one‐third (30.2%) reported only one disabling condition, nearly one‐in‐eight
(12.3%) reported that adults in their household had two or more disabling conditions.
The largest group of respondents indicated that they experienced serious medical or physical
conditions or a serious mental illness, followed closely by substance abuse.
Figure 3. Respondents ‐ Disabling Conditions
Respondents in
households without
children were
approximately
twice as likely to
report an adult with
a serious physical or
mental health
condition or a
serious substance
abuse condition.
19.6% 19.4%
17.8%
3.7%
2.1% 1.0%0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Medical condition
Mental illness Substance abuse
Developmental disability
Other HIV/AIDS
Respondents - Disabling Conditions
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 10
7. Military Service, Foster Care, Work
Respondents were asked, “Have you served in the U.S. Armed Forces or were you activated,
into active duty, as a member of the National Guard or as a reservist?” They also were asked if
they had ever been in foster care, and if so, if they had aged out of foster care in the past six
months. Additionally, they were asked if in the past month they or anyone else in their
household had received any money from working.
Military Service
Slightly more than one in ten respondents (11.7%) served in the military. Of those veterans,
11.3 percent were unsheltered on Monday night.
Foster Care
Similarly, slightly more than one in ten respondents (11.7%) said they had ever been in foster
care, and of those, 15.1 percent reported they had aged out of foster care at some time in the
last six months.
Work
Nearly one‐third (30.8%) of respondents reported they or anyone else in their household had
worked in the past month. Substantially more respondents in households with children (41.9%)
reported having received money from working in the past month than respondents in
households without children (23.8%).
8. Government Benefits
Respondents were asked to indicate all of the government benefits that anyone in their
household received. The majority (58.4%) reported that their household received some type of
government benefit. Of those receiving benefits, over half (54.3%) were receiving one benefit
and nearly half (45.6%) were receiving two or more government benefits. More households
with children were receiving government benefits (67.0%) than households without children
(52.7%).
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 11
NATURE OF HOMELESSNESS
9. Duration and Episodes of Homelessness
Duration of homelessness refers to how long a particular episode of homelessness has lasted.
Number of episodes refers to the number of separate times a household has experienced
homelessness, regardless of how long each of the episodes lasted.
Duration
Over half (52.9%) of
respondents say their
household has been
homeless for less than
one year, while one in
ten (10.4%) have been
homeless for more
than three years.
Episodes
The single largest group
of respondents (39.9%)
said their household
was experiencing its
first episode of
homelessness in the
last three years on the
night of January 24.
More than one in five
(21.5%) had been
homeless twice in the last three years, and nearly one‐in‐eight had been homeless five or more
times.
Tables 11 and 12 show the differences between households with and without children
regarding episodes and duration of homelessness. Households without children are twice as
likely to have been homeless five or more times, and to have been homeless for more than
three years.
Table 9. Duration of Homelessness
Frequency Percent
Less than 1 month 575 11.2
More than 1 month but less than 1 year 2,136 41.7
1 to 3 years 1,182 23.1
More than 3 years 535 10.4
Don’t know 95 1.9* The table adds up to 88.3 percent. The missing percentage represents those respondents who reported they were not homeless in this question, but indicated homelessness in their answers to other questions.
Table 10. Episodes of Homelessness
Frequency Percent
Once in last three years 2,042 39.9
Twice in last three years 1,098 21.5
Three times in last three years 665 13.0
Four times in last three years 251 4.9
Five or more times in last three years 633 12.4* The table adds up to 91.7 percent. The missing percentage represents those respondents who reported they were not homeless in this question, but indicated homelessness in their answers to other questions.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 12
Table 12. Duration of Homelessness by Households With and Without Children
Duration of Homelessness Frequency Percent
Households Without Children Less than 1 month 342 10.8
More than 1 month but less than 1 year 1,217 38.5
1 to 3 years 764 24.2
More than 3 years 413 13.1
Don’t know 67 2.1
Households With Children Less than 1 month 233 11.9
More than 1 month but less than 1 year 919 46.9
1 to 3 years 418 21.3
More than 3 years 122 6.2
Don’t know 28 1.4
Table 11. Episodes of Homelessness by Households With and Without Children
Episodes in Last Three Years Frequency Percent
Households Without Children One 1,255 39.7
Two 587 18.6
Three 415 13.1
Four 156 4.9
Five or more 496 15.7
Households With Children One 787 40.2
Two 511 26.1
Three 250 12.8
Four 95 4.9
Five or more 137 7.0
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 13
10. Chronically Homeless Individuals
HUD Definitions and Criteria
Historically, HUD has defined chronic homelessness as:
Single persons living alone, and
Having a chronic debilitating condition, and
Sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation and/or in an emergency homeless
shelter, and
Having been homeless continually for one year or more OR having four or more
episodes of homelessness in three or more years.
HUD defines a disabling condition as “a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental
illness, developmental disability or chronic physical illness or disability.” A disabling condition
limits an individual’s ability to work or perform activities of daily living.
New this year, HUD includes families in its definition of chronically homeless, albeit without
clear criteria for counting these individuals and families. HUD issued the following guidelines
regarding “Chronically Homeless Person or Family”:
An unaccompanied homeless individual (18 or older) with a disabling condition or
a family with at least one adult member (18 or older) who has a disabling
condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR has
had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. This means
that CoCs need to collect four pieces of data to meet HUD requirements:
1. Number of sheltered chronically homeless individuals living in emergency
shelter or safe havens.
2. Number of unsheltered chronically homeless individuals living in a place not
meant for human habitation (e.g. living on the street).
3. Number of sheltered chronically homeless families living in emergency shelter
or safe havens.
4. Number of unsheltered chronically homeless families living in a place not
meant for human habitation (e.g. living on the street).
The above criteria indicate that Continuums of Care (CoCs) must determine the number of
chronically homeless single individuals and the number of chronically homeless family units.
However, in a subsequent publication, HUD directed that:
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 14
CoCs should collect and report the total number of persons in chronically
homeless families to include both the adult members who are chronically
homeless and family members who are with them, either sheltered or
unsheltered.
Conversely, this second set of criteria indicates that HUD requires CoCs to report the number of
respondents and their family members who are chronically homeless, or as designated in this
report, All Homeless.
HUD was contacted to clarify the necessary data that CoCs should collect and report for their
chronically homeless populations, but further clarification was unavailable. This report
therefore includes the following descriptions of the chronically homeless:
Number of chronically homeless single individuals
Number of chronically homeless family units
Number of chronically homeless ‐‐ All Homeless persons8
Finally, based on HUD criteria, unaccompanied homeless children under the age of 18 are not
counted as chronically homeless individuals. In this study, six respondents were younger than
18 and identified as chronically homeless, but were not included in the chronically homeless
calculations. Table 13 shows chronically homeless respondents (whether single individuals or
part of a family) by age categories, although the six teens were not included in subsequent
reporting of chronically homeless.
Table 13. Chronically Homeless Respondents by Age Category
Number of
Respondents
Percent
Teen (13‐17) 6 1.3
Young Adult (18‐25) 24 5.3
Adult (26‐64) 411 90.3
Senior (65 and over) 14 3.1
Total 455 100.0
Missing Age 17
TOTAL NUMBER OF
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS 472
8 Additional breakdowns of chronically homeless, including sheltered, unsheltered and by county may be found in the Appendix.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 15
Chronically Homeless Respondents
There are a total of 466 chronically homeless respondents who meet HUD’s definition. Slightly
more than three‐quarters (76.4%) are male.
Chronically Homeless Single Individuals and Families
Over three quarters (77.9%) or 363 of chronically homeless respondents are single individuals.
Families ‐‐ respondents who are not single individuals ‐‐ comprise more than one‐fifth (22.1%)
of the chronically homeless population.
Table 14. Chronically Homeless by Family Type – Respondents
Number Percent
Single 363 77.9
Single parent with children under 18 50 10.7
Couple with children under 18 18 3.9
Couple without children 35 7.5
Total 466 100.0
Chronically Homeless Single Individuals and Families by County
The largest group of chronically homeless respondents in each county is single individuals.
Chronically Homeless ‐‐ All Homeless
Consistent with respondents, of all chronically homeless persons (respondents and their family
members), the largest group is single individuals and the small number of family members with
them (66.8 percent). Persons in families comprise one‐third (33.2%) of all chronically homeless
persons.
Table 15. Chronically Homeless by County and Family Type – Respondents
Family Type Number of Chronically Homeless Respondents in Each County
Adams Arapahoe Boulder Denver Douglas Jefferson TOTAL
Single 3 6 96 233 7 9 354
Single parent with children under 18 2 2 10 32 0 4 50
Couple with children under 18 1 0 4 10 0 2 17
Couple without children 1 0 14 15 0 2 32
TOTAL 7 8 124 290 7 17 453
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 16
Table 16. ALL Homeless – Chronically Homeless by Family Type
All Homeless
Percent of All
Homeless
Single 3939 66.8%
Single parent with children under 18 88 15.0%
Couple with children under 18 37 6.3%
Couple without children 70 11.9%
Total 588 100.0%
11. Where All Homeless Persons Spent Monday Night
On January 24, 2011, all homeless people were predominantly staying temporarily with family
or friends (30.9), in transitional housing (23.5%) or in an emergency shelter (17.4%).
Table 17. Where Spent Monday Night – All Homeless
Respondents All Homeless Percent of All
Homeless
Temporarily with family or friends 1,378 3,069 30.9
On the street, under a bridge, abandoned bldg, car, etc 411 514 5.2
Hotel, motel paid for by self 266 519 5.2
Hotel, motel paid for by others, vouchers 160 306 3.1
Domestic violence shelter 110 215 2.2
Substance abuse treatment program 117 130 1.3
Permanent supportive housing 73 120 1.2
Section 8 housing 41 86 .9
Halfway house 59 76 .8
Hospital 47 59 .6
Youth shelter 42 48 .5
Jail, prison 27 43 .4
Somewhere else 17 33 .3
Total 5,408 9,937 100.0* 107 Respondents did not report where their household spent Monday night. No one reported spending Monday night in a juvenile detention facility.
9 There are 363 chronically homeless persons whose family type is identified as ‘single’; however, considering all homeless persons, there are 393 chronically homeless persons in this category. This is due to some single respondents having various family members with them, such as a sibling or an adult respondent with a parent.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 17
Figure 4. All Homeless ‐ Monday Night by Households With and Without Children
People in households
with and without
children differed in
the types of places
where they spent
Monday night.
Figure 4 shows how
households with and
without children
compare on the five
places where all
homeless most frequently spent Monday night.
12. Unsheltered
Of all homeless people, 5.1 percent or 411 people were unsheltered (living on the street, under
a bridge, in an abandoned or public building, in a car, camping out, etc.) on the night of January
24.10 Of those who were unsheltered, over three‐quarters (77.2%) were living in households
without children, and 22.8 percent had children with them.
13. Newly Homeless
For the purpose of this study, people were considered “newly homeless” if they had been
homeless for less than one year and this was their first episode of homelessness. On January
24, 2011, nearly one in four (23.7%) or 2,402 people, were considered newly homeless. Of the
newly homeless, fully two‐thirds (66.6%) were in households with children.
10 This percentage is slightly lower than the 5.2 percent of all homeless who were unsheltered in Table 17 above. The difference is because Table 17 is based only on people who reported where they spent Monday night. The 5.1 percent is based on all homeless, including those who did not indicate where they spent Monday night.
10.5%
6.1%
28.2%
13.8%
21.1%
1.9%
6.9%
10.8%
29.4%
36.9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
On the street, under a bridge, etc.
Own apt or house
Emergency shelter
Transitional housing
Temporarily with family or friends
Place Spent Monday Night byHouseholds With and Without Children - All Homeless
(top 5 most frequently reported responses)
Households With Children
Households Without Children
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 18
14. Counties / Cities
The largest proportion (42.1%) of all homeless persons spent Monday night in the City and
County of Denver. More, however, spent Monday night in other Metro area counties (57.9%).
Counties
Table 18. County Where Persons Spent Monday Night – All Homeless
Respondents All Homeless Percent of All
Homeless
Adams County 607 1,531 15.5
Arapahoe County 423 866 8.7
Boulder County 943 1,779 18.0
Broomfield City & County 115 241 2.4
Denver City & County 2,638 4,166 42.1
Douglas County 72 125 1.3
Jefferson County 534 1,191 12.0
Households with children and without children differ in the county where they spent the night
of the survey. The majority of households without children (55.6%) indicated that they spent
that night in Denver. Conversely, the majority of households with children (65.9%) spent
Monday night in counties other than Denver.
Table 19 shows the percentage of all homeless persons in households with children in each of
the seven Metro counties. A majority of homeless persons in every county except Douglas
County is part of a household with children.
Table 19. Persons in Households With Children by County –
All Homeless
All Homeless Percent of All
Homeless
Adams County 1,305 85.2
Arapahoe County 554 64.0
Boulder County 1,126 63.3
Broomfield City & County 182 75.5
Denver City & County 2,114 50.7
Douglas County 58 46.4
Jefferson County 867 72.8
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 19
Cities
Table 20 shows the five most frequently reported cities where all homeless persons spent
Monday night.
Table 20. City ‐ All Homeless
All Homeless Percent of All
Homeless
Denver 4,166 42.1
Boulder 914 9.2
Aurora 781 7.9
Lakewood 691 7.0
Longmont 636 6.4
15. Last Permanent Residence
Respondents were asked to indicate the county where they last lived before they became
homeless. The largest single percentage (37.9%) of respondents indicated their last permanent
residence was in Denver City and County, although a combined 44.7 percent were from one of
the Metro counties other than Denver. One in eight (12.8%) homeless respondents were from
out of state, and 4.6 percent were from a Colorado county other than one of the seven Metro
counties in this study.
Table 21 compares the county where respondents spent the night of Monday, January 24 and
the county where respondents had their last permanent residence. For example, out of 913
respondents who spent Monday night in Boulder and answered the question about their last
permanent residence, 682 said that Boulder was their last permanent residence, 118 were from
out of state, and 41 were from a Colorado county other than one of the Metro counties in this
study. The number of respondents in the table reflects the number of respondents who
provided information about both where they spent Monday night and the county where they
last had a permanent residence.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 20
Table 21. County of Last Permanent Residence by County Spent Monday Night
County Spent Monday Night
County of Last
Permanent Residence
Adams Arapahoe Boulder Broomfield Denver
Douglas Jefferson TOTAL
Adams 252 34 20 13 116 0 11 446
Arapahoe 36 196 10 3 179 3 26 453
Boulder 0 1 682 7 21 0 2 713
Broomfield 1 0 3 52 5 0 2 63
Denver 65 87 27 5 1640 4 69 1897
Douglas 2 12 0 0 16 40 4 74
Jefferson 13 16 12 3 148 1 318 511
Other Colorado Cty 12 17 41 6 114 2 34 226
Out of state 26 47 118 26 357 16 49 639
407 410 913 115 2596 66 515 5022
Differences in totals between Tables 21 and 22 are due to missing responses. The proportion of
respondents with and without children who spent Monday night in a county different from
their last permanent residence varies across counties. The key messages from Table 22 are
1) on average, between one‐quarter and one‐third of respondents sleeping in a new Metro area
county are newly homeless; and 2) the highest proportion of chronically homeless respondents
spending Monday night in a county not reported as their last permanent residence are from out
of state.
Table 22. Monday Night in County other than County of Last Permanent Residence – Respondent Demographics11
COUNTY OF LAST PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Frequency Respondents in Households With and Without Children
Newly Homeless
Respondents
Chronically Homeless
Respondents Without Children With Children
Adams 194 112 57.7 82 42.3 60 30.9 16 8.2
Arapahoe 257 137 53.3 120 46.7 81 31.5 19 7.4
Boulder 31 24 77.4 7 22.6 10 32.3 0 0
Broomfield 11 8 72.7 3 27.3 3 27.3 1 9.1
Denver 257 143 55.6 114 44.4 66 25.7 14 5.4
Douglas 34 28 82.4 6 17.6 10 29.4 1 2.9
Jefferson 193 115 59.6 78 40.4 57 29.5 17 8.8
Other CO County 236 167 70.8 69 29.2 53 22.5 25 10.6
Out of State 653 476 72.9 177 27.1 182 27.9 89 13.6
11 This table represents respondents who did not spend Monday night in their county of last permanent residence. It includes both respondents who said that they spent Monday night in a different county as well as respondents who did not report where they spent Monday night.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 21
Summary
Homelessness continues to be a critical issue in Metro Denver. More than 11,000 people, many
of them children, lack a permanent home on any given night.
The Point‐In‐Time study shows that persons living in households with children continue to
account for the majority of homeless persons in Metro Denver. The number of homeless
women is approaching that of homeless men, primarily because of the large number of single
parents and couples with children. More than one‐quarter of single homeless persons,
however, are now female. Minorities are over‐represented among the homeless population
compared to general population estimates.
The great majority of all homeless people spent Monday night staying temporarily with family
members or friends, in time‐limited transitional housing or in an emergency shelter (not
including a domestic violence shelter). Persons in households with children were substantially
more likely to stay with family or friends or in transitional housing, while persons in households
without children were more likely to have spent Monday night in an emergency shelter. One in
twenty homeless people were unsheltered. There are fewer newly homeless than in the past
couple of years. It may be that people are experiencing homelessness for longer periods of
time due to the economy. Nevertheless, almost one‐quarter of all homeless are newly
homeless, and fully two‐thirds of newly homeless persons are in households with children.
The change in HUD’s definition of chronically homeless is a step forward in accurately defining
and reporting on persons experiencing chronic homelessness. Service providers have long been
aware that families as well as single individuals face the catastrophic problems associated with
being chronically homeless. Of all chronically homeless persons, one in five are in households
with children.
The three most frequently reported reasons for respondents’ current spell of homelessness are
unemployment, followed by housing costs and relationship or family break‐up. A recent
Denver Post article reported that Colorado mirrors the nation in the record growth of low‐
income families who pay more than half of their monthly income for rent. The vacancy rate in
affordable housing rentals is dropping, incomes are dropping, and rents are increasing.12
Given the uncertainty surrounding the economic recovery and the fact that homelessness
affects so many families and children, it is more critical than ever that we work together to
provide services and programs to reduce homelessness in Metropolitan Denver.
12 O’Connor, Colleen. Affordable housing overwhelmed. The Denver Post posted 2/13/2011. http://www.denverpost.com/fdcp?1298590510940
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 22
V. METHODOLOGY
MDHI collected data in the last week in January, referencing the point‐in‐time as the night of
Monday, January 24, 2011.
Survey Instrument
The survey instrument was developed by the Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI).
The survey was revised based on input from MDHI Board members and on changes in HUD
definitions. For example, MDHI revised how respondents were asked about their military
service to reflect HUD’s guidelines.
Data Entry/Cleaning
A professional data entry firm entered the survey data. The researchers performed numerous
procedures to identify data entry and logic errors. For example, the researchers ran
frequencies on all variables to check for out of range / incorrect values; coded and cleaned all
open‐ended responses; did countless logic checks comparing “Family Type” and family
member data; and performed many additional logic checks on all data points.
The researchers paid particular attention to identifying family type and households with and
without children. Although evidence of children in a household often was not thoroughly or
consistently documented, if there was solid evidence that the respondent had any children
under 18 years of age, the household was identified as a household with children. Respondents
age 17 or under were automatically classified as a household with children.
The number of homeless persons in a household could be counted if the respondent: 1)
entered the number of people in the household, and 2) identified the family members who
were with them on Monday night. In many cases, responses to these questions were
inconsistent; handling these cases required extensive data examination and cleaning. The
researchers also did additional data cleaning, for example, removing friends reported by
respondents. The study’s methodology assumes that “friends” complete their own surveys,
while the respondent reports on family members.
Criteria for Eliminating Not Homeless
The researchers established clearly defined, objective criteria to identify homelessness.
Determining whether a respondent was homeless initially depended on where he or she spent
the PIT night. As needed, other questions were included in the decision process. Many surveys
had inconsistent responses. In these situations, the researchers examined responses indicating
housing status and developed additional criteria to sort respondents consistently.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 23
Duplicates
The PIT survey was conducted over a 24‐hour period in order to reduce the number of
duplicate surveys. However, duplicates are inevitable. Several steps were taken to address this
issue:
Although agency staff, volunteers and homeless respondents were instructed to
complete a survey for every homeless individual or family, only one survey was counted
for each household.
Agency staff and volunteers were trained regarding the critical nature of obtaining the
identifying information at the top of the survey form.
A unique identification number was created for each respondent. This identification number
consisted of first initial, middle initial, first three letters of last name and month respondent
was born, as well as age and gender. The researchers examined the survey instruments for
respondents with identical identification numbers and omitted duplicates.
New in 2011
If the survey was missing data to indicate homelessness, and the agency submitting the
survey only serves homeless persons, the respondent was identified as homeless.
If the respondent spent Monday night in permanent supportive housing and reported
that he or she was going to be evicted in seven days, the respondents was identified as
homeless – in other words, permanent supportive housing was treated similarly to living
in Section 8 housing or in the respondent’s own apartment or house.
If the respondent reported having children in the table identifying household members
but did not state their children’s ages, and the respondent was age 32 or younger, the
respondent was counted as having a child under 18.
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative 24
List of Tables and Figures
TABLES
Table 1 Survey Collection and Elimination Page 3
Table 2 Reporting on Survey Data Points / Variables Page 4
Table 3 Total Homeless Including Counts and Estimates Page 5
Table 4 Family Type ‐ Respondents Page 6
Table 5 Family Type – All Homeless Page 6
Table 6 Ages ‐ Respondents Page 7
Table 7 Reasons for Homelessness Page 8
Table 8 Top Five Reasons for Homelessness – Respondents in Households With and Without Children
Page 9
Table 9 Duration of Homelessness Page 11
Table 10 Episodes of Homelessness Page 11
Table 11 Episodes of Homelessness by Households With and Without Children Page 12
Table 12 Duration of Homelessness by Households With and Without Children Page 12
Table 13 Chronically Homeless Respondents by Age Category Page 14
Table 14 Chronically Homeless by Family Type – Respondents Page 15
Table 15 Chronically Homeless by County and Family Type – Respondents Page 15
Table 16 ALL Homeless – Chronically Homeless by Family Type Page 16
Table 17 Where Spent Monday Night – All Homeless Page 16
Table 18 County Where Persons Spent Monday Night – All Homeless Page 18
Table 19 Persons in Households With Children by County – All Homeless Page 18
Table 20 City ‐ All Homeless Page 19
Table 21 County of Last Permanent Residence by County Spent Monday Night Page 20
Table 22 Monday Night in County other than County of Last Permanent Residence – Respondent Demographics
Page 20
FIGURES
Figure 1 All Homeless by Households With and Without Children Page 6
4. BROOMFIELD CITY & COUNTY DATA FOR RESPONDENTS WHO SPENT MONDAY NIGHT IN A COUNTY OTHER THAN THE COUNTY THEY REPORTED AS THEIR LAST PERMANENT RESIDENCE
County of last permanent residence
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative
Percent
Valid Broomfield 11 100.0 100.0 100.0
Family type
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative
Percent
Valid Single 7 63.6 63.6 63.6
Single parent with children
under 18
3 27.3 27.3 90.9
Couple without children 1 9.1 9.1 100.0
Total 11 100.0 100.0
Households with and without children
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative
Percent
Valid household WITHOUT
children
8 72.7 72.7 72.7
household WITH children 3 27.3 27.3 100.0
Total 11 100.0 100.0
Respondents' age in categories
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative
Percent
Valid Adult (26-64) 11 100.0 100.0 100.0
Homeless in Metropolitan Denver Point‐In‐Time Study, 2011
“Household” can refer to an individual or a family.
Please complete the following information about yourself:
First initial
Middle
initial
First 3 letters of last name
Month you were born
(Circle 1 response): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1. What is your age? ______
2. Are you… 1 Male 2 Female 3 Transgender
3. Have you served in the U.S. Armed Forces or were you activated, into active duty, as a member of the National Guard or as a reservist? 1 Yes 2 No
4. Which category best describes your background? (Check only ONE response) 1 Asian/Pacific Islander 2 Black/African American 3 Hispanic/Latino(a)/Spanish 4 Native American/Alaska Native 5 White 6Mixed race 7 Other Describe: ______________________
5. Are you: (Check only ONE response) 1 A single person (including separated or divorced) 2 A single parent with children under 18 (including separated or divorced) 3 Part of a couple with children under 18 4 Part of a couple without children under 18 5 Other Describe: ______________________ _______________________________________
6. Have you ever been in foster care? 1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know If yes, have you aged out of foster care in the past 6 months? 1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know
7. DO YOU HAVE A PERMANENT PLACE TO LIVE?
1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know
8. Including now, what is the total number of times your household has been without a permanent place to live in the last three years? (Check only ONE response)
1 Never, I am NOT homeless 2 One 3 Two 4 Three 5 Four 6 Five or more
“Household” can refer to an individual or a family.
9. How long has your household been without a permanent place to live this time? (Check only ONE response)
1 I am NOT homeless 2 Less than 1 month 3 More than 1 month but less than 1 year 4 1 to 3 years 5 More than 3 years 6 Don’t know
10. In the next 7 days, are you being evicted or thrown out of the place you are staying?
1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know
10a. In the next 7 days, are you being released from an institution (such as a hospital or jail) and you have no place to go?
1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know
11. Where did your household spend the night of Monday, January 24th
“Household” can refer to an individual or a family.
12. Including yourself, how many household members regularly live with you and DO NOT HAVE a permanent place to
live as of Monday, January 24, 2011? #___________ Please complete the following table for these family members who regularly live with you and DO NOT HAVE a permanent place to live:
13. Age 14. How is this person related to you? (Check one category per person)
Person 1 SELF PERSON ANSWERING SURVEY
Person 2 1 Spouse/partner 2 Son/daughter 3 Grandchild 4 Other relative:
Person 3 1 Spouse/partner 2 Son/daughter 3 Grandchild 4 Other relative:
Person 4 1 Spouse/partner 2 Son/daughter 3 Grandchild 4 Other relative:
Person 5 1 Spouse/partner 2 Son/daughter 3 Grandchild 4 Other relative:
Person 6 1 Spouse/partner 2 Son/daughter 3 Grandchild 4 Other relative:
15. Do you or any adult in your household (eighteen or older) have any of the following: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
1 Serious mental illness 2 Serious medical or physical condition 3 Alcohol or drug abuse 4 Developmental disability 5 HIV/AIDS 6 Other Describe: ______________________ ________________________________________ 7 NONE of these
16. In what city/town did your household spend the night of Monday, January 24, 2011?
_____________________________________ (Fill in city/town name)
17. In what county did your household spend the night of Monday, January 24, 2011?
_____________________________________ (Fill in county name)
18. What was the last County, City and State you consider to be your permanent place to live?
__________ _______________ __________ County City State
19. In the past month, have you or anyone else in your household received any money from working? 1 Yes 2 No
20. Are you or anyone else in your household receiving ANY of the following government benefits? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
1 SSI/SSDI 2 TANF 3 Food Stamps 4 VA Pension/Benefits 5 Medicaid/Medicare 6 Aid to the Needy Disabled (AND) 7 Any other government benefit 8 Receiving NO government benefits
21. Why did your household become homeless this time? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
1 I am NOT homeless 2 Lost job/can’t find work 3 Have work but wages are too low 4 Relationship or family break-up/death in family 5 Abuse or violence in your home 6 Runaway/throwaway/discharged from foster care 7 Sexual orientation 8 Discharged from jail, prison or halfway house 9 Medical problems including physical or
developmental disability 10 Eviction/foreclosure 11 Housing costs too high 12 Utility costs too high 13 Alcohol or drug abuse problems 14 Mental illness/emotional problems 15 Other reason Describe: _______________ _____________________________________
END OF SURVEY
THANK YOU!
“
Favor de completar la siguiente información sobre sí mismo:
Inicial del 1er
nombre
Inicial del 2do nombre
Tres Letras iniciales del
apellido
Mes de nacimiento (Marque 1 respuesta)
Ene Feb Mar Abr May Jun
Jul Ago Sep Oct Nov Dic
1. ¿Cuál es su edad? ______
2. ¿Cuál es su género? 1 Masculino 2 Femenino 3 Transgénico
3. ¿Ha servido en el servicio militar de los E.U.? 1 Si 2 No
4. ¿Cuál categoría única mejor representa su grupo racial? (Marque solo UNA respuesta) 1 Asiático/Islas Pacificas 2 Negro/Afro americano 3 Hispano/Latino/Español 4 Indio Americano/Indígena de Alaska 5 De raza blanca 6 Mezcla 7 Otro Especifique: ______________________
5. Es Usted: (Marque solo UNA respuesta) 1 Una persona soltera (incluyendo separado o divorciado) 2 Padre soltero con hijo/s menor de 18 años (incluyendo separado o divorciado) 3 Parte de una pareja con hijos menores de 18 anos 4 Parte de una pareja sin hijos menores de 18 anos 5 Otro Especifique: ______________________ ¿Alguna vez ha estado en cuidado de crianza? 1Si 2 No 3 No se ¿En caso afirmativo ha envejecido de cuidado de crianza en los últimos 6 meses? 1Si 2 No 3 No se
6. ¿Tiene usted un lugar permanente donde vivir? 1 Si 2 No 3 No se
8. ¿Incluyendo ahora, cuál es el número total de veces que ha estado sin un lugar permanente para vivir en los últimos tres años? (Marque solo UNA respuesta)
1 NO estoy sin vivienda 2 Uno 3 Dos 4 Tres 5 Cuatro 6 Cinco o más
9. ¿Esta Vez, cuanto tiempo ha estado sin un lugar permanente donde vivir? (Marque solo UNA respuesta)
1 No estoy sin vivienda 2 Menos de un mes 3 Más de 1 mes pero menos de 1 ano 4 1 – 3 anos 5 Más de 3 anos 6 No se
10. ¿En la próxima semana, le van a desalojar o botar de lugar donde se está alojando?
1Si 2 No 3 No se
10a. ¿En los próximos 7 días, está usted de ser liberado de una institución (como un hospital o la cárcel) y no tiene a dónde ir?
1Si 2 No 3 No Se
11. ¿Dónde paso la noche de Lunes, 24 de Enero, 2011? (Marque UNA respuesta)
1 Refugio de emergencia 8 Permanente apoyo de vivienda
2 Refugio para víctimas de violencia domestica 9 Hospital
3 En La calle, bajo una Puente, edificio abandonado, edificio público, carro, viajando por bus, acampando, etc..
10 Centro de rehabilitación
11 Centro de reinserción o detención juvenil
4 Hotel/motel pagado por su cuenta mientras busca vivienda 12 Programa de tratamiento contra abuso de drogas/alcohol
5 Hotel/motel pagado por otros/por certificado (vouchers) 13 Cárcel/Prisión
6 Refugio para juveniles 14Vivienda de transición (Tiempo limitado)
7 Temporalmente con familia o amigos
¿Si con familia o amigos tiene arreglado quedarse allí
permanentemente? 1 Si 2 No 3 No Se
15 Sección 8 de vivienda
16 En su propio apartamento o casa que alquilan o
son propietarios
17Algún otro lugar ¿Donde?
"Hogar" puede referir a un individuo o una familia.
12. ¿Incluido usted, cuántos miembros del hogar regularmente viven con usted y no tienen un lugar permanente
para vivir a partir del Lunes, 24 de enero 2011? #___________ Favor de completar la siguiente matriz para LOS FAMILIARES QUENES ESTAN CON USTED Y QUE TAMBIEN ESTAN SIN UN LUGAR PERMANENTE DONDE VIVIR.:
13. Edad 14. Que es el parentesco de esta persona a Usted? (Marque una categoría por persona)
Persona 1 Si Mismo
Persona 2 1 Esposo/pareja 2 Hijo/a 3 Nieto/a 4 Otro familiar:
Persona 3 1 Esposo/pareja 2 Hijo/a 3 Nieto/a 4 Otro familiar:
Persona 4 1 Esposo/pareja 2 Hijo/a 3 Nieto/a 4 Otro familiar:
Persona 5 1 Esposo/pareja 2 Hijo/a 3 Nieto/a 4 Otro familiar:
Persona 6 1 Esposo/pareja 2 Hijo/a 3 Nieto/a 4 Otro familiar:
15. Piensa Usted que tiene o le han dicho que tiene: (Lea cada línea y MARQUE TODOS QUE SEAN PERTINENTE)
1 Enfermedad mental seria 2 Condición seria sea médica o física 3 Abuso de alcohol o drogas 4 Incapacidad en el desarrollo 5 VIH/SIDA (HIV/AIDS) 6 Otro Especifique: ______________________ ________________________________________ 7 NINGUNO de estos
16. ¿En que cuidad/pueblo paso la noche de Lunes, 24 de Enero del 2011?
_____________________________________ (Llenar el nombre de la cuidad/Pueblo)
17. ¿En qué condado paso la noche de Lunes, 24 de enero del 2011?
_____________________________________ (Llenar el nombre del condado
18. ¿Cuál fue el último Condado, Cuidad y Estado que Usted considero su lugar permanente de vivir?
__________ _______________ __________ Condado Cuidad Estado
19. ¿Durante el último mes, Usted o cualquier otra persona en su familia recibió ingreso debido al trabajo? 1 Si 2 No
20. ¿Usted o cualquier otra persona en su familia está recibiendo CUALQUIER de los siguientes beneficios de gobierno? (Lea cada línea y MARQUE TODOS QUE SEAN PERTINENTE)
1 SSI/SSDI 2 TANF 3 Estampillas (Food Stamps) 4 Asistencia para Veteranos 5 Medicaid/Medicare 6 Ayuda a los necesitados y discapacitados (AND) 7 Algún otro beneficio del gobierno 8 NO está recibiendo beneficios del gobierno
21. ¿Porque esta sin vivienda esta vez? (Marque todos que sean pertinente)
1 No estoy sin vivienda 2 Perdió el trabajo/no encuentra trabajo 3 Tiene trabajo pero el sueldo es muy bajo 4 Pariente/familia disolvió/muerte en la familia 5 Abuso o violencia en su hogar 6 Huyo/desalojo/dieron de alta de la casa de crianza 7 orientación sexual 8 Liberaron de cárcel, prisión o centro de reinserción 9 Problemas médicos incluyendo físico o de
incapacidad en el desarrollo 10 Desalojamiento/juicio hipotecario 11 El costo de vivienda está muy alto 12 El costo de servicios públicos está muy alto 13 Problema de abuso con alcohol o drogas 14 Enfermedad mental/problemas emocional 15 Otra razón Especifique: _______________ _____________________________________