Homeless Solutions for Boulder County Successfully Exits Veterans Out of Homelessness

Boulder, Colo. – Homeless Solutions for Boulder County has successfully exited 30 Veterans out of homelessness in Boulder County in 2022. Of this number, 7 were housed; 1 was reunified, and 22 moved to inactive status due to no client contact, known as a neutral exit. Homeless Solutions for Boulder County, a multi-jurisdiction partnership between Boulder County and the Cities of Boulder and Longmont, continues to work with nonprofit partners to exit individuals out of homelessness. This regional integrated service system combines a coordinated entry process with provision of timely and appropriate supportive and housing services to assist people out of homelessness.

Veteran homelessness affects 438 individuals in the Metro Denver Area. Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI)’s released report for 2022 annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count data shows a significant decrease in Veteran Homelessness across the region, though there was an increase in overall homelessness in the same year. Last year, Boulder County obtained nine additional Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers, the only county to be awarded new VASH vouchers in the metro area. In 2022, there were 79 identified homeless Veterans in Boulder County through Coordinated Entry. As of April 2023, Boulder County has identified 17 individuals experiencing homelessness that are service veterans. In 2023, HSBC has seen a decrease in month-over-month (Jan.-April) of veterans experiencing homelessness in the county.

“To achieve quality data for veterans means that we know who’s in our community,” said Heidi Grove, Homeless Solutions for Boulder County Systems Manager. “We identify our Veterans person by person and strategize the most appropriate exit and resources for them to end homelessness.”

Boulder County joined the sub-regional Built for Zero effort in Metro Denver in 2020 and recently was recognized as having achieved quality data for veteran homelessness. Built for Zero is a national movement, a methodology, and campaign for regions across the United States committed to ending homelessness. As of April 2023, Boulder County has been deemed eligible for the "final mile." Final mile status is the last stretch before a sub region reaches functional zero, defined as less than 3 Veterans experiencing homelessness in any given region.

Homeless Solutions for Boulder County also works closely with the Veterans Community Project (VCP), a nonprofit dedicated to helping house Veterans. In 2021 and 2022, Boulder County helped fund VCP of Longmont’s outreach center, “a walk-in center to serve as a one-stop-shop for every type of veteran facing every type of problem, including Veterans experiencing homelessness.” As part of the Worthy Cause funded grants, Boulder County awarded VCP $150,000 in 2022 and $250,000 in 2023. City of Longmont also supported VCP by waiving city development fees for the property in Longmont.

Veterans Community Project’s VCP Village initiative is aimed at providing a planned tiny home community designed to get homeless Veterans off the street and into permanent housing. Comprehensive Veteran support services are facilitated through an onsite community center that provides Veterans with mentoring, case management, counseling, and connection to other programs and services. HSBC works in partnership with VCP to match clients to their programs in Case Conferencing, a meeting where partners come together to discuss how best to support individuals experiencing homelessness and connect them with housing resources.

VCP will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for the VCP Village Community Center in Longmont on Thursday, May 18 from 5-7:30 p.m. at 3095 Mountain Brook Drive, Longmont, CO 80503. Community members are invited to the celebration in completion of the VCP Village Community Center. A tour of the center will be available where participants will have an “early look” opportunity at the first set of tiny houses currently under construction for future veteran housing. RSVP with Veterans Community Project of Longmont to attend this event.

Since October 2017 to date, Homeless Solutions for Boulder County has exited a total of 1,821 individuals out of homelessness in Boulder County, which includes Veterans in this number. In 2022, 223 individuals experiencing homelessness were housed; 8 exited the HSBC system, and 108 individuals were reunified with family, friends, or other relatives.