Point-In-Time Homelessness Survey Set For Sundown Monday
DENVER (CBS4)- The number of those experiencing homeless in the Denver metro area will be better estimated after Monday night. At sundown on Monday, the Point-in Time homelessness survey will begin.
The Point-in-Time survey is conducted annually to take a snapshot of the homeless population in and around the Denver Metro Area.
During the night, trained volunteers and staff with Metro Denver Homeless Initiative conduct interviews using a standardized survey.
The survey is required for communities to get Housing and Urban Development funding. Those numbers are also used for community grant writing and planning.
In 2019, there were 3,943 individuals experiencing homelessness in the City and County of Denver, with 428 of those newly homeless within the year.
Advocates say it's necessary to get a number for Housing and Urban Development money. Critics of the count say it's a gross under count and it's prohibiting most people from getting the aid they need.
The Point-in-Time survey only counts people living in transitional housing, shelters, or on the streets, not those who are experiencing homelessness and staying on the couch with friends.
The survey expands to the Denver metro area with data collected in the City of Aurora, Broomfield, Jefferson and Douglas Counties.