First Phase of Annual Homelessness Count Released

The preliminary first phase of data for the annual Point-in-Time count shows increase in overall homelessness on a single night from pre-pandemic levels.  

[Denver, CO – July 20, 2022]: The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) released the preliminary first phase of the 2022 annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count data. The count captures homelessness nationally on a single night in January and showed an overall increase of 784 individuals regionally from pre-pandemic levels.  

“We are awaiting HUD’s verification of the region’s demographic data before releasing further information, but for planning purposes, it is important to share the overall sheltered and unsheltered count for the region,” said Dr. Jamie Rife, MDHI’s Executive Director. MDHI will release a second phase of data once HUD’s verification process is completed later this summer. 

The count occurred on Monday, January 24, 2022, and included both those staying in shelter and outdoors. Due to COVID-19 safety concerns, the region did not conduct a count of individuals staying outdoors in 2021. In January 2020, approximately six weeks before the beginning of the pandemic and the last time a comprehensive PIT was conducted, there were 6,104 people counted experiencing homelessness. This year, 6,888 people were counted, or a 12.8% increase. For those staying in shelter, the number remained fairly consistent between 2020 and 2022 with 4,534 and 4,815 respectively. Unsheltered homelessness increased regionally, with pre-pandemic levels in 2020 at 1,561 and this year’s count locating 2,073 individuals staying outdoors. 

“The Point-in-Time is a snapshot of homelessness on a single night with numerous variables such as weather, count participation, volunteer engagement, and a variety of other factors,” shared Rife. “While this count can help us understand homelessness on a single night, getting to a place where we have comprehensive, real-time data regionally is the ultimate goal,” she added.  

The region has made significant strides in decreasing its reliance on the one-night count. Instead, providers, municipalities, and others are working together to improve participation with the region’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to make data accessible each day on those experiencing homelessness. Outreach teams across the seven-county metro-Denver region increased HMIS usage in 2022 to help create a more real-time understanding on those staying outdoors as well as assist in connecting clients to services and housing.  

“While the region was able to locate and count 6,888 individuals on a single night experiencing homelessness, the HMIS allows us to see this number is closer 31,000 throughout the course of the year,” said Rife. “This data highlights the dynamic nature of homelessness and the importance of real-time data to allow the region to coordinate effectively and allocate resources efficiently.” MDHI releases annually the State of Homelessness report with these numbers.