A citywide survey confirmed what the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has been saying for years: Homelessness and affordable housing are serious concerns and realities for Denver residents.
Key findings of the survey, which collected live telephone responses from 404 likely 2018 voters, include:
- Homelessness ranked as the third-most-critical issue for the mayor and City Council to address, following affordable housing and education.
- 96 percent of those surveyed said homelessness is a “serious problem” in Denver.
- 66 percent said “too little” action is being taken by the mayor and City Council to make housing more affordable and address homelessness.
Of those surveyed, 68 percent own their homes, and 57 percent said they had experienced homelessness themselves or had a family member of friend who experienced homelessness.
“This data confirms what we already know and have experienced for the past 32 years: The city must prioritize making substantial investments in homelessness services and affordable housing,” says Cathy Alderman, vice president of communications and public policy at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “More and more people are being marginalized and left behind by Denver’s economic growth, and it is imperative that our elected officials implement immediate strategies to reduce homelessness and provide better access to affordable housing.
The survey was sponsored by All in Denver, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Del Norte Community Development Corp., Denver Foundation, Gates Family Foundation, Gorman & Co., Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver and the Urban Land Conservancy.
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