[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Homelessness in Boulder

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Weaver, Sam

Colleagues, 
 
As many of you have probably heard, I went to Denver and spoke and listened to a group of homeless advocates on Wednesday.  While this experience was very positive and thought-provoking for me (I have several new-to-me ideas that I would like to share with
 Council when appropriate) I realized that I was still viewing Boulder's part in alleviating this national problem through a regional lens.  I was quite surprised to learn that there were about 100,000 homeless at any given time in the US between 1935 to 1980,
 and that the current number has risen to 600,000 since 1980, while Federal housing assistance has fallen by half in that time.  It would be shocking if those two facts were unrelated, and when combined with falling mental health support, some of the root causes
 of this situation become clear.
 
Now I have come across a national coordinating program called the 100,000 Homes Campaign that I wanted to share.  Here is the New York Times article describing the program:
 
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/the-push-to-end-chronic-homelessness-is-working/
 
I would request that during Matters on Tuesday (or in an email) that staff be able to describe to me any discussions Boulder has had about joining this effort, whether we are participating or planning to, and if not, any reasons that we have not done so
 to date.  The program website is here:
 
http://100khomes.org/
 
Denver is currently a member of the 2.5% Club in this effort, indicating that they are tracking progress quantitatively, and Fort Collins, Pueblo, Greeley, Durango, and Aspen are members of the Fully Committed List.  The full list of participating cities
 is at the link below.
 
http://100khomes.org/sites/default/files/Fully%20Committed%20List%20-%20March%202014.pdf
 
If we decide to join, we could encourage our fellow cities in Boulder County to engage as well, hopefully increasing regional action on the issue.
 
I look forward to further discussions of how we elevate those struggling to shelter themselves into more stable situations, while at the same time requiring civil behaviors from all who are present in our community.
 
All the best,
 

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov
Phone: 303-416-6130