Homelessness in Metro Denver: An Opportunity to Transform Resources and the Existing System

Oct 21

While homelessness is complex, communities across the country have proved it is solvable. They’ve accomplished this with Built for Zero, a data-driven, racially equitable methodology for reaching a functional end to homelessness, one population at a time. Built for Zero is an operating system that aligns quality, real-time data, local planning, and regional coordination around a shared, measurable aim: functional zero. When we approach homelessness as a solvable issue, we shift from attempting to manage the problem to creating a system that ensures it is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

Regional Coordination

Metro Denver is a large, seven-county region with 3.2 million people across 40 municipalities. In March 2021, MDHI partnered with Community Solutions, US Department of Veterans Affairs, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, DRCOG, and the Metro Mayors Caucus to convene hundreds of elected officials and discuss the need for a comprehensive regional strategy on homelessness. Since then, the nine subregions have been working to establish Built for Zero in their local communities, starting with Veteran homelessness.

MDHI serves as the umbrella organization for these efforts, coordinating with each subregion to achieve quality data and drive measurable reductions in homelessness. Regional coordination provides a benefit to local communities by offering data management and training, support from Built for Zero Improvement Advisors, Coordinated Entry System access, strategic resource allocation, and transparent communication for non-duplicative coordination of services.

Metro Denver’s Shared Aim

By aligning the local interests of our subregions with this proven model, Metro Denver is on track to end veteran homelessness regionally. By December 31, 2027, our region will:

have quality all singles data in 9 of 9 subregions (Adams, Arapahoe, Aurora, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Tri-Cities)
have quality data for youth in the region
have quality data for families in the region
have reached functional zero in all subregions for Veterans
have 4 subregions ended homelessness for at least one of the following sub-populations (all singles, chronic singles, families)

Steps to Functional Zero

Here’s how we plan to solve homelessness in each subregion, one population at a time:

Built for Zero (BFZ) is a proven methodology for ending homelessness so that it is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.
Answering YES or NO to each question establishes a baseline for your community's work to reach Functional Zero.
Each YES means we are one step closer to quality, real-time data, a critical component of ending homelessness. View the Scorecard (Metro Denver By-Name List) to see your community's progress toward a Quality By-Name-List (BNL).
We are 100% sure we know everyone experiencing homelessness in your subregion by name, in real-time.
When does your community project it will end Veteran homelessness now that it has a Quality By-Name List?
Homeless Coordination Teams in each subregion focus on improving processes and securing resources to reach Functional Zero.
A milestone, which must be sustained, where Veteran homelessness becomes rare, brief, and non-recurring.
Now that we’ve proven this methodology for veterans, we must address families, youth, and single adults.

Progress to Date

Our regional approach is working. Veteran homelessness has decreased by 31% since 2020 due to regional coordination on the issue. As of September 2022, we have operationalized the Active Veteran By Name List reports, which share identifying information about each Veteran experiencing homelessness along with their contact information. Subregional Leads receive this data weekly. The data includes all Veterans enrolled in the Veteran By Name List project in HMIS, as well as those specific to their subregion. Reports are sent via encrypted email to maintain client confidentiality. These reports support care coordination across the region so that unhoused veterans can be connected to housing and services more quickly as we move toward functional zero.

Boulder County is the first of Metro Denver’s nine sub-regions to achieve Quality Data for all singles, a necessary milestone for reaching a functional end to Veteran homelessness (and eventually all homelessness). Quality Data means we can account for every single adult experiencing homelessness by name, in real time. This Quality By-Name List (BNL) helps us understand the scope of homelessness in Boulder County, describes the inflow and outflow on an ongoing basis, gives us accurate information to reduce homelessness, and helps us measure our progress toward ending it. With quality data, Boulder can now track changes in the composition and dynamics of those experiencing homelessness needed to identify gaps, test changes, and prioritize resources. It means Boulder can start working towards Functional Zero for Veterans before moving on to all single adults.

Support from Elected Officials

We asked our state and local elected officials to sign this pledge and maximize our region’s progress toward ending homelessness. 36 out of 38 Mayors in the metro area agreed to:

Build on our success from year one of Built for Zero, which reduced veteran homelessness by 15% despite rising rates of homelessness nationwide
Use the shared Homeless Management Information System or “HMIS” database that enables us to better serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness regardless of their location in the region
Tailor our interventions and methods to reflect peer-reviewed best practices
Collaborate regionally to maximize our investments in housing, treatment, and other critical resources

Thank you to all of our partners who continue to support local and regional efforts to end homelessness in Metro Denver for all.

Layla Said