'Welfare Isn't Helping': How One Colorado County Reduced Homelessness by 86% in 2 Years | News

As the homeless crisis hits Colorado's most populous city, a county just south of Denver says it has found an effective solution to reduce homelessness in its communities.

As part of a campaign to reduce the number of homeless people, Douglas County officials have emphasized a simple message: “Donations don't help.” For example, they have urged residents not to give money to homeless people on roads or sidewalks.

From 2022 to 2024, Douglas County saw a sharp drop in the number of homeless people living on the streets, from 43 to six, according to a recent point-in-time count report conducted by several local third-party nonprofits.

This homeless count, conducted by Douglas County on July 29, provides a unique insight into the homeless situation. Douglas County officials said they conduct a homeless count in the summer to calculate the number of homeless people when people are most likely to be outside.

This is a separate census from the national census, which also includes counties in the Denver metropolitan area, including Douglas County. This separate, larger survey is conducted in January.

According to that count, Douglas County reported no homeless encampments or panhandlers that July day.

Between 2022 and 2023, the number of homeless people living on the streets in Douglas County dropped from 43 to 11, according to the count. Today, between those living on the streets, in cars or in shelters, the county's homeless count has reached a low of 69 homeless people, down from 93 last year.

Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon, founder and president of the Douglas County Homeless Initiative, attributed the decline in homelessness to contributions from residents, the sheriff's office and a team of behavioral health experts.

“The magic of what’s happening here is that the numbers were so small to begin with that we were able to really nip it in the bud,” he told the Denver Gazette.

The goal, Laydon said, was to “tackle this problem before it gets that bad,” adding that two years ago, “it started with reclaiming our public spaces.”

Douglas County has created a team of experts, known as the Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team, to help address the problem.

The HEART team, as county officials call it, is made up of behavioral health experts who are deployed in branded vehicles to help people living on the streets.

Here's how the county is handling the situation: When a report is made of a panhandler or homeless person, a HEART vehicle is dispatched to the area and conducts an assessment.

Laydon called Douglas County's approach “housing plus,” which he said is a balanced approach to “trauma-informed practices.”

“We recognize that housing is a critical part of self-reliance and self-sufficiency to begin to move in that direction,” the commissioner said.

In Denver, Mayor Mike Johnston has adopted a comprehensive approach to the city’s growing homelessness crisis, dubbed “Housing First,” which involves getting people off the streets without preconditions or requirements. Under Johnston’s model, the city clears encampments and moves people into temporary, non-congregate shelters.

Denver, which is on track to spend nearly $155 million on the mayor’s campaign to combat homelessness, saw its total homeless population increase from 5,818 last year to 6,539 this year, according to the January point-in-time count. And the city recorded only 150 fewer homeless people than last year’s count — data that puzzled one council member and led another to accuse the Johnston administration of having a “spend first, ask questions later” mentality.

“We’re part of the Denver metropolitan area in Douglas County,” Laydon said of Denver’s strategy. “We want to continue to work closely with our elected colleagues to address this issue. And we think we have a program that’s working really well.”

“For us,” Laydon adds, “housing plus” means “support.” So it’s housing, but it’s also food, it’s shelter, it’s career counseling, it’s mental health counseling. It’s addressing substance abuse issues, which we know often go hand in hand with a lot of the issues that homeless people face.”

Douglas County's homeless initiative, largely supported by federal and state grants, has cost a total of $3.2 million since 2022, according to Douglas County officials.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has so far assigned four deputies to the HEART initiative full-time, according to Sheriff Darren Weekly.

Between 2022 and 2024, taxpayer-paid deputies' salaries cost a total of $1.3 million, according to the county.

Between American Rescue Plan Act funding, state grants and deputy salaries, Douglas County's homeless initiative cost the county $1.8 million in 2024.

In Douglas County, about 20 percent of homeless people accept help, while the 80 percent who decline include drug addiction or arrest warrants. Since HEART began, the county has worked with about 215 people on the streets, according to the commissioner.

Douglas County's homeless initiative is largely supported by federal funding and local donations, county officials said.

Douglas County also contributed $1.4 million to the Aurora Homeless Navigation Campus, designating five beds for county use, according to Laydon.

Douglas County has also partnered with Step Denver and Ready to Work, two nonprofit organizations that address substance abuse and employment support needs.

One of the battles Douglas County has fought has been to reduce the number of panhandlers to zero.

“When you allow and encourage people to hand out money at intersections, it only compounds the problem,” Laydon said.

The commissioner said HEART began when he first noticed two encampments near the intersection of Interstate 25 and Lincoln in Lone Tree, once a hot spot for panhandlers.

“In Lone Tree, we reaffirm our commitment to working with Douglas County and other neighboring cities to address homelessness in the Denver metro area,” Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon said in a statement. “Every person we can help move from homelessness to stability is a significant step forward.”

“Homelessness is not a political issue. It’s a public safety issue,” Sheriff Weekly said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep Douglas County safe. We’ve hired homeless liaisons, civilian professionals who can help direct and connect these individuals with the services they need.”

The Douglas County Sheriff said officers respond to every panhandling call they receive.

Across the county, there are 70 barcoded signs to report homeless panhandling or to donate to the Douglas County Community Foundation's Homeless Relief Fund, which supports the HEART Team and the county's homeless initiatives.

“We don’t want to make arrests,” Weekly said. “We want to provide them with the resources they need.”

“I think the key to the success of this program is being proactive,” the sheriff added. “You have to get out there, be on the ground and look for those people who are panhandling or homeless and might need help.”