Research Guides: Homelessness: The Homeless in Colorado

Organizations and Advocacy

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Helping the homeless for nearly 25 years. They consider anyone who lacks a fixed, regular or adequate residence to be homeless.
Office of Homeless Initiatives (Colorado Department of Local Affairs)
Partners with local, state and federal stakeholders to build, promote and support collaborative approaches to connect Colorado’s most vulnerable citizens with housing and services.
Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI)
Every year the MDHI conducts a Point-in-Time (PIT) study that strives to count the number of homeless individuals on one day of the year and to educate citizens about the presence of homelessness within their own communities.&
Metro Denver Homeless Initiative: Point-in-Time Reports
Seven-County Denver Metropolitan Region survey results
The Gathering Place
"A refuge for rebuilding lives."
Catholic Charities: Colorado Homeless Shelters
Assures that the basic needs of homeless individuals and families are met including: Safe Shelter, Warm Clothing, and Food.

Who are the homeless?

Colorado Statistics (2023)

Total number of Coloradans experiencing homelessness according to Point in Time* count: 14,439
Students experiencing homelessness, doubled-up, or unstably housed in the 2021- 2022 school year: 17,957
Increase in overall homelessness in the last year according to PIT count: 39%
Individuals without stable housing covered by Medicaid in 2022: 134,197
People who accessed homelessness services in Denver between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023: 30,409
Increase in people experiencing chronic homelessness over the last ten years from PIT data: 150%

Data from: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Colorado State of Homelessness Report 2023

*The Point in Time is an unduplicated count of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines literal homelessness as living in a place not meant for human habitation, emergency shelter, or some transitional housing programs. (https://www.mdhi.org/pit)