Survey Aims At Solving Homelessness
More than 70 volunteers, including 12 Fort Carson troops, gathered in Colorado Springs to conduct a survey of the homeless population in town. The survey was aimed at gathering a headcount of the homeless individuals as well as recording demographic information from that population.
The survey is conducted in compliance with requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
?They want to know that there is a need when they?re giving out money and we?ll prove that need today,? said Bob Holmes, CEO of Homeward Pikes Peak.
Holmes said the data is also used by homeless service providers to fine-tune their services so they can better meet the needs of the community.
Holmes said the data is also analyzed for information on the demographic making up the homeless population and told KRDO Newschannel 13 he is noticing an alarming trend.
?The biggest demographic are individuals who are homeless, but maybe don?t even realize they?re homeless,? said Holmes.
He said this demographic includes individuals and small families who are staying with friends, family or in their cars. Holmes said this group is homeless as a direct result of the economy and the loss jobs.
?We probably have about 2,500 to 3,000 individuals in Colorado Springs living in that situation, and it?s growing. It?s growing every day,? said Holmes, ?It?s a huge, huge number that has just astonished us over the past few years.?
Holmes said, aside from this number, there are an additional ?240 chronically homeless individuals, tent campers, people living outdoors? in Colorado Springs. He added that this number is down from the more than 600 reported two years ago.
Results from last January?s survey did show a 2.3 percent decline in Colorado homelessness in comparison to the previous year.
Results from Tuesday?s survey will take several weeks to prepare. KRDO Newschannel 13 will be following up on Tuesday’s survey once the results are released.
