Data: Boulder has slightly fewer people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in 2024

DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Boulder released data on Thursday from a July count and survey of people experiencing homelessness who are without shelter.

Many communities across the country will conduct a Point-in-Time count in January to see how many people are experiencing homelessness at a specific moment, and how that data changes over time. The count is done in a single night .

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Last year, Boulder said it began doing a Point-in-Time count in July to "better understand seasonal trends in how people experience homelessness."

"The July count focuses on unsheltered homelessness, as the city traditionally experiences an increase in this type of homelessness in the summer. Information collected in the count will help the city identify how the unsheltered population and individuals' needs differ from summer to winter and will serve as a baseline data point for future counts," the city said in a release.

Data shows how people experience unsheltered homelessness

During the July 25 count, city staff found 122 people who were experiencing unsheltered homelessness, and 79 of them participated in a survey, according to the online dashboard .

Of those surveyed, 76% said they spent the last night alone, 9% said they stayed with a partner or spouse, and 9% said they stayed with a pet or service animal. Where they stayed varied — with 54% saying they were on the street without cover, 15% in a tent or improvised structure in an encampment, 12% in a tent or improvised structure on their own, 3% in a RV or vehicle, and 5% answering other.

For many of those surveyed, this is not their first time experiencing homelessness — 56 people (75%) said they have experienced homelessness before. Meanwhile, 19 (25%) said this was their first time.

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Over the last three years, 92% of those surveyed said they experienced homelessness for 12 months or more over that period, and 8% said they experienced homelessness for 0-11 months.

The city said 68% of those surveyed were considered chronically homeless, meaning they have been experiencing homelessness for a year or longer, and 32% said they were newly experiencing homelessness.

Here are some demographic data points for those surveyed:

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Survey reveals factors leading to unsheltered homelessness

More than half of those surveyed first experienced homelessness in Colorado, with 36% of respondents saying they first experienced homelessness in Boulder and 21% saying they first experienced homelessness somewhere in the Centennial State. The rest of those surveyed said they first experienced homelessness in Texas (9%), California (7%), and Arizona (3%). Washington D.C. and 16 other states were represented by one person each.

According to the online dashboard, 72% of survey respondents self-reported that they were living with disabling conditions, including:

Those surveyed reported the following as common reasons for not staying in shelters:

Commonly reported reasons for experiencing homelessness include:

Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services, said there has been a reduction in the amount of people who are living outside without shelter.

"While we know that the number of individuals living unsheltered in our city remains a significant concern, we want to celebrate the success we've seen in recent years. We're grateful for the hard work of our community partners who provide life changing services and supportive programs to help exit people out of homelessness and keep them housed," Firnhaber said.

The 2023 Point-in-Time data counted 171 people experiencing homelessness without shelter in Boulder.

The city notes that because the count is done in a single night and is impacted by variables like participation, weather, methodology and other factors, "results from the count do not accurately reflect the actual number of people living unhoused."