Boulder does rare summer count of its homeless. Here's what it found
Boulder has released the results of a point-in-time survey, done July 27 to count the people experiencing homelessness on a given night. It is a first count in the summer. Usually the counts are done in the winter when more people are believed to be in shelters.
People are sent out to gather a count of people and the city found 171 experiencing unsheltered homelessness compared to 142 in January.
"We learned that the number does go up in the summer but not a lot," said Lynette Badasarian, Boulder's homelessness program manager. They found 83% of people have been without housing for more than twelve months over the last three years.
"I grew up undiagnosed autistic so I also didn't connect with people the way that other people do. I tried really hard," said Finneas Crystalite, 33.
Crystalite has spend the majority of the past fifteen years in homelessness, although has been in housing in south Boulder since earlier this year after getting help from an agency that assists people with developmental issues. Growing up in Montana, Crystalite spent time in foster and group homes.
"I wasn't taught like the skills that you need to like to get an apartment, to get a job and like resourcing. I also didn't have community connections. I didn't really have family. I didn't really talk to a lot of people."
In Boulder, Crystalite found some help.
"When I first got here it was really easy for me to get help with things that have been difficult for me in other places where I've been."
They shunned shelters.
"I don't really like smelling or feeling dirty. That bothers me ... Crammed in a place with people that like are going to be making noises. There's lots of smells. People don't take good care of themselves when they're homeless."
For a while Crystalite lived under an overpass.
More than a third of the people interviewed during the point-in-time count indicated that Colorado outside of Boulder was the first place they had experienced homelessness. A quarter of those interviewed said Boulder.
Homelessness in the city, says Badasarian, is not different from other parts of Colorado where she has also worked with homeless populations. The city focuses on the need for housing as Boulder's prices have risen. But wraparound services to provide things like drug and alcohol counseling or job training assistance are also in need.
"We have some buildings coming on board that have permanent supportive housing. Which is that housing with wraparound services," said Badasarian.
Drug or alcohol abuse were not issues for Crystalite who says among the homeless population, "A lot of people who are on drugs and alcohol and are kind of like a mess, they don't know any other way. They don't have any other tools other than drug and alcohol to try and deal with or avoid their problems."
88% of those interviewed in the point-in-time count indicated they had a disabling condition, which includes drug and alcohol problems. Like other communities, the need for help for those populations is greater than the options for help.
Boulder, too, is trying to find more resources to assist with things like drug and alcohol counseling.
"It is hard. It is hard to have those resources available to the extent that we need," said Badasarian.
