Results of the 2022 PIT Count in Denver & Colorado Springs
August 5, 2022
In this article, we will break down the results of the 2022 PIT Survey and explore the increase in homelessness from last year.
What is the PIT Survey?
The PIT survey happens on one single night in January each year. On this night, organizations throughout the nation count the number of people experiencing homelessness in communities across the country. The organizations that conduct the counts then analyze the data to derive statistics, demographics, and descriptions of why these people are experiencing homelessness in local areas.
This data is then used to raise public awareness, inform public funding decisions, and increase community collaboration.
Denver Area Sees Increase in People Experiencing Homelessness
This year, the initial PIT count conducted by The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) indicated that in the Denver metro area, there was an increase of 784 individuals from pre-pandemic levels, bringing the total number of people experiencing homelessness to 6,888. This is a 12 percent increase from 2020.
These are initial numbers released from MDHI, which will be coming out with a full PIT report soon. Due to the pandemic, MDHI did not do a comprehensive PIT count in 2021.
Data related to people who seek emergency shelters vs. those who are unsheltered is also collected by the PIT Survey. This year, the number of people who stayed in shelters in the Denver area remained mostly consistent, changing from 4,534 people in 2020 to 4,815 people in 2021. However, there was a notable increase in the number of unsheltered people across the region, with 1,561 individuals in 2020 and 2,073 individuals in 2022.
PIT Results for the Veteran Community in Colorado Springs
In Colorado Springs, where there is a sizable population of veterans, the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care’s PIT count found that the monthly average of households with at least one reported veteran experiencing homelessness increased from 314 veterans in 2021 to 401 veterans in 2022. This is a 20 percent increase.
Data related to homeless veterans in the Denver Metro Area for 2022 have not been released yet.
About Homes for All Veterans
Rocky Mountain Human Services’ Homes for All Veterans (HAV) program works throughout Colorado to support veterans and their families who are at risk of becoming homeless or who are currently experiencing homelessness to find permanent housing. The HAV team has worked to house hundreds of at-risk veterans in emergency shelters with the help of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).