The Challenge

The number of homeless in Longmont is increasing at an alarming rate since 2000, the year Longmont first received its own homeless count, when there were 206 persons to 569 in 2007 – a 176% increase. The current data shows our homeless have the following characteristics:

• 9.4% are military veterans
• 50.5% are families with children
• 91.4% showed Boulder County as their last county of permanent residence
• 54% received money from work
• 11.2% were homeless due to medical issues
• 7.7% were homeless due to eviction of foreclosure
• 32 were living outside the night of the survey
• 34.3% were newly homeless, and
• 192 (or 34%) were children 17 years or under and 7 were over 62 years of age

The number of times that persons are homeless is increasing. In 2000, 67% were homeless for the first time, in 2007 only 34.3% were homeless for the first time. For individuals who were homeless more than once, the percent increased from 33% in 2000 to 50.4% in 2007.

We participated in the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s (MDHI) 2007 winter Point-in Time Survey. The following chart shows the comparison of data on the homeless in Longmont compared to the baseline collected at the beginning of the Consolidated Planning period.

Homeless Population - Longmont - From 2004 Point-In-Time Survey
Type of Population	Number	Race/Ethinicity	Percent	Sex	Percent
Single Adults	114	White	56%	Male - Families	31%
Couple w/o children	48	Black	2%	Female - Families	45%
Two Parents w/kids	138	Native American	3%	Male - Single	17%
One Parent w/kids	186	Other	39%	Female - Singles	7%
Other Family	24	Hispanic	34%
Homeless Total	565

Homeless Population - Longmont - From 2007 Point-In-Time Survey
Type of Population	Number	Race/Ethinicity	Percent	Sex	Percent
Single Adults	122	White	52%	Male	46%
Couple w/o children	40	Black	2%	Female	54%
Two Parents w/kids	202	Native American	5%
One Parent w/kids	175	Other	41%
Other Family	30	Hispanic	46%

General Information - The City has committed $254,000 of its general funds in 2008 to support the homeless facilities and service agencies that serve Longmont. This includes ongoing funding for the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, the Inn Between, the OUR Center, Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley and many others. In addition, the State will provide the following shelters with Emergency Shelter Grant funds in 2008: The INN Between will receive $15,000 for operating costs of its homeless shelter, the Safe Shelter of the St. Vrain Valley will receive $35,000, and the Boulder County Safe House will receive $12,450.

In light of the continuing homeless population in Longmont, the city reallocated CDBG funding in mid-2005 to support the start-up costs for a Day Shelter, operated out of the OUR Center. In the time since the Day Shelter has been open, 728 unduplicated persons have been seen, 50% have received medical screening and follow up services, 25% have found part or full time jobs, 50% are now receiving benefits to which they are entitled, and 20% have moved into permanent housing. The Briarwood Hotel was acquired by the Longmont Housing Authority and substantially rehabilitated in 2007. They are master leasing 10 Single Room Occupancy units to local agencies that serve the homeless to be used for emergency, transitional and/or permanent housing units for the homeless and/or hard to house. The City also plans to address emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of the homeless by supporting the activities of specific non-profit agencies and the Longmont and Boulder County Housing Authorities in their annual strategies.

Chronically Homeless - Helping homeless people is a priority for the City. The draft Homeless Plan proposed a Housing First model to move chronically homeless families into permanent housing more quickly than journeying through shelters and transitional housing. A Pilot Program was enacted in 2006 with 10 families receiving assistance in 2006 and 2007. This program was expanded in Longmont with an additional 15 families receiving assistance in 2007 and 2008. In addition, the city is partnering with the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless to provide a Housing First Program for chronically homeless individuals on a county-wide basis. The Housing First Program provides supportive services on a 24/7 basis and methods for better implementation and provision of services is underway by the case management agencies providing the supportive services. The City will also address emergency shelter and housing needs of the homeless directly by funding a “search and rescue” outreach to persons living in public places. “Boulder County Cares” expanded into Longmont in the 2006-2007 winter season to provide an after hours check on the homeless during each evening. Blankets, coats, mittens, sleeping bags, sandwiches, etc. will be provided to folks living outside to ensure they survive the night. In addition, anyone wanting transportation to a shelter or needing emergency medical assistance will be accommodated.

Discharge Policy – The HOME Consortium communities continue to develop and implement a discharge policy to promote successful emancipation of youth, discharge planning for individuals from the corrections system and release of individuals from health care facilities. In May, 2007, Governor Ritter reconvened the Community and Interagency Council on Homelessness to develop a strategic plan to end homelessness in Colorado. This Council will address a discharge planning policy statewide over the next year.

Housing Opportunities for People with Aids – NA – the city does not receive HOPWA unding.

Continuum of Care

Longmont’s Continuum of Care for homeless and persons at risk of homelessness is described in the chart on the following page. The current Continuum is a cooperative effort among several local housing and human service agencies in the community. While a formalized system for addressing the needs of the homeless, or those at risk of becoming homeless does not currently exist, many services to meet the needs of homeless and at risk families are available in Longmont and Boulder County. Three major efforts to address housing and homelessness in Longmont include:

• Denver Metro Homelessness Initiative – Boulder County (including the City of Longmont) participates in this regional coalition of housing and human service providers and government representatives from six counties in the metro area that continually assess the regional continuum of care for homeless and at-risk families and apply as a group for Super NOFA funds from HUD to provide transitional and supportive services.

• Longmont Housing Opportunities Team (LHOT) – a local coalition of over 70 housing and human service providers and government representatives that are assessing the level of homeless services in Longmont and work to address the gaps in the Continuum of Care. The Team will be working on supporting the Housing First Program in 2008 serving 35 homeless and at-risk families and joining with Boulder County to provide Housing First for 22 homeless individuals, 10 of which are from Longmont. In addition, LHOT has worked with the City of Longmont to provide funding for a Mental Health Services contract to serve the families in the Housing First Program.

• Boulder County Housing Consortium - a countywide coalition of housing providers that meet quarterly to discuss a wide variety of housing issues, programs, legislations and needs.

The City sees its housing programs which benefit households with incomes below 50% of the median as actions to prevent homelessness. Supportive services and the ongoing Foreclosure Prevention, Rent Deposit, and Housing Counseling programs also play an important role in preventing homelessness. Job training, education, budget and homeownership training and counseling and many other services may keep families self-sufficient so they will not lose their homes.

Prevention of low-income individuals and families with children (especially those below 30% of median) from becoming homeless will be addressed through both the City’s counseling and service programs, and its non-profit organizations, including the Inn Between, the Safe Shelter of the St. Vrain Valley, the Atwood Shelter, but most essentially the OUR Center. The OUR Center’s preventive measures include a range of services including, rent and utility payments, motel vouchers, counseling and referral to services.