- 2 -<strong>Loveland</strong> <strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Youth</strong> <strong>Po<strong>in</strong>t</strong>-<strong>in</strong>-<strong>Time</strong> <strong>Count</strong>/<strong>Survey</strong> <strong>Report</strong>By Urban Peak, Denver, ColoradoJuly 17, 2003How This <strong>Count</strong>/<strong>Survey</strong> Came to BeThe <strong>Loveland</strong> <strong>Homeless</strong> Task Force was formed <strong>in</strong> 1999 by Catholic Charities Northern(CCN). CCN carried out two surveys <strong>in</strong> <strong>Loveland</strong> to determ<strong>in</strong>e the extent ofhomelessness <strong>in</strong> the community. The Interfaith Hospitality Network was formed, <strong>in</strong> part,due to the results of the surveys and the task force. The membership of the task forcegrew to <strong>in</strong>clude members from non-profit service agencies, the school district, and thecity and county government. The task force cont<strong>in</strong>ued to meet after the survey projects tocont<strong>in</strong>ue to discuss homelessness <strong>in</strong> <strong>Loveland</strong>, services available, and the need for serviceexpansion.Several members consistently reported requests for services for young people withoutstable hous<strong>in</strong>g. The group decided to research services specifically designed forhomeless youth and met with Urban Peak, Stand-Up for Kids and The Spot, all Denverbasedorganizations. At the recommendation of Urban Peak, the task force carried out an<strong>in</strong>formal survey of local churches, non-profit agencies, bus<strong>in</strong>esses, government offices,and schools to determ<strong>in</strong>e whether community members had knowledge or awareness ofhomeless youth <strong>in</strong> <strong>Loveland</strong>. 90% of the respondents <strong>in</strong>dicated hav<strong>in</strong>g at least some<strong>in</strong>teraction with youth who are, or potentially are without a stable liv<strong>in</strong>g situation.The results of the community survey prompted the task force to take the next step ofcontract<strong>in</strong>g with Urban Peak/The Spot to carry out a street count <strong>in</strong> <strong>Loveland</strong> to gatheradditional and detailed <strong>in</strong>formation about the extent and nature of youth homelessness <strong>in</strong><strong>Loveland</strong>, Colorado.(above written by Darcy McClure, City of <strong>Loveland</strong>)Perspective on <strong>Homeless</strong>nessThe issue of runaway and homelessness among Colorado youth is prevalent <strong>in</strong> everyethnic and socioeconomic group, and the numbers of homeless and runaway youthcont<strong>in</strong>ue to rise. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to a 2001 po<strong>in</strong>t-<strong>in</strong>-time study, the overall homelesspopulation has <strong>in</strong>creased 26% s<strong>in</strong>ce 1999. The homeless s<strong>in</strong>gle youth population<strong>in</strong>creased 101% from 197 <strong>in</strong> 1998 to 396 <strong>in</strong> 2001 (Metropolitan Denver <strong>Homeless</strong>Initiative). The 2001 Colorado Cont<strong>in</strong>uum of Care process found that approximately7,200 persons who are homeless on any given day <strong>in</strong> 29 non-metro counties <strong>in</strong> Colorado.Almost 9,800 <strong>in</strong>dividuals and families are on the wait<strong>in</strong>g lists for subsidized hous<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>rural Colorado (Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Hous<strong>in</strong>g, 2001).<strong>Homeless</strong> and runaway youth face a life on the streets that is both difficult anddangerous. <strong>Homeless</strong> and runaway youth have three times the rates of depression, posttraumaticstress disorder and conduct disorder as youth who are not homeless (Robertson,1998). <strong>Homeless</strong> youth also engage <strong>in</strong> multiple high-risk behaviors, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g trad<strong>in</strong>gCopyright 2003 by Urban Peak