Homelessness and affordable housing have consistently ranked among our community’s top concerns. Both issues are intrinsically tied, felt nationally, and result from decades of failed social and economic policies. Disjointed health care systems, inadequate wages, and threads of inequities disrupt our social connections and contribute to housing insecurity.

Locally, Boulder has made significant strides in addressing single adult homelessness and expanding affordable housing. In 2017, the City of Boulder established a strategy to address homelessness, and in 2018, a coordinated regional goal was set by every city in Boulder County for at least 12% of all housing to be affordable by 2035. The City of Boulder took this even further by setting a 15% goal. Since then, we’ve made a lot of progress.

Notably, 2,000 people have exited homelessness since 2017. Additionally, over the last two years, we have seen a reduction in the number of individuals who are unsheltered and living outside. Both the Boulder County winter count and the city-specific summer count show a more then 20% reduction in unsheltered homelessness. In this time, we have grown our collective capacity as providers have expanded services and there has also been an increase in people benefitting from reserved beds at the All Roads shelter. These services and new housing developments that include supportive programs for formerly homeless community members have been – and are — essential to exiting people out of homelessness and keeping them housed.

We’re also making a difference in creating affordable housing that helps service workers, employees of small businesses and laborers live in the community where they work. Today, there are more than 4,000 affordable homes in Boulder and one out of 11 Boulder residents lives in an affordable home. Every community member living in affordable housing has a unique story – one of new beginnings and opportunities.

The city’s Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Services (EPRAS) program has also been essential in keeping community members housed. In 2023, EPRAS distributed $364,545 directly to 175 households and an additional $350,000 to 214 households through a partnership with the Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA).

Despite these impressive numbers, this is not a rest-on-our-laurels story. While we are making progress in addressing single adult homelessness, we know that the number of individuals living unsheltered in our city remains a significant concern, both for their safety outdoors and for the impacts they can have on our community spaces. At the same time, more and more families are facing housing insecurity in Boulder and beyond. Families are balancing multiple jobs, health concerns, the high price of food and childcare, and the cost of the next car repair and are struggling to make ends meet. Family homelessness is often invisible, and a different set of resources is required to address this growing need; families experiencing homelessness need a safety net and a community that supports them.

The city’s nonprofit partners play a pivotal role in this support network, striving to meet diverse needs amid rising demand for food, housing and financial assistance. This continued need, along with residual impacts from the pandemic, often outpaces our partners’ ability to help.

With new county funding to support housing and supportive services on the horizon in 2025, we must work collaboratively and commit to creating more affordable housing, securing rental assistance and expanding services to support individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

I am often asked, “What can I do help our community with housing and homelessness?” As people who care deeply about our community, we should dig deep to support the nonprofits that do this important work and help them continue to create affordable housing, keep families housed and provide supportive services for those in need.

In partnership,

Kurt Firnhaber, Director of Housing and Human Services