Homeless advocates are concerned about a perceived rise in the number of homeless families in Denver, and a survey taken across the metro region Tuesday could say whether the souring economy is exacerbating the problem.
“The majority of families we’re seeing are newly homeless — they’re new to the system, they don’t know where to find help,” said Greta Walker of the Denver Rescue Mission.
Walker said primary causes of homelessness are loss of a job or finding affordable housing, which are signatures of the current economic climate.
The mission surveyed more than 400 homeless people during breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday at the Lawrence Street Shelter.
Agencies are operating at capacity this winter, Walker said. The Lawrence Street Shelter had an overflow – about 350 people — looking for a place to sleep inside from the cold for a second night in a row, Walker said.
The Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative and Mile High United Way coordinated 175 public assistance agencies, churches and volunteer organizations to survey homeless people they encountered Tuesday. The surveys will gauge the width and characteristics of the problem to try to meet the needs, officials said.
“The biggest thing we’re looking for is a change in the population because of the economy,” said Tracy D’Alanno, homeless program manager with the Colorado Department of Human Services.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for is people who don’t know how to be homeless, don’t know where to go, what to do and seeing if there’s a huge increase in that, based on people losing their jobs.”
The survey’s results will be released in the spring. Surveys in 2006 and 2007 estimated a homeless population of about 10,000. There was no survey last year.
