El Paso County commissioners receive update on homelessness population Thursday

Two homeless support groups provided an update on the homeless situation to El Paso County commissioners Thursday.

The presentation, requested by Commissioner Stan Vander Werf and provided by the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care and Homeward Pikes Peak, gave commissioners more details about the area’s annual homeless count conducted in January.

According to that count, homelessness in the county has increased 11 percent, with 1,500 people describing themselves as homeless and 500 saying they live on the streets instead of in shelters.

“I was a little surprised,” Vander Werf said. “The number was a little higher than I thought it would be. But it’s good to know what the numbers are. It helps us figure out what to do, how to shape our policies and how to deal with it going forward.”

Officials said programs to provide more affordable housing and temporary shelter beds are ongoing and should help reduce homelessness.

“We also need more affordable housing and more jobs that will allow people to pay for it,” said Beth Roalstad, who belongs to both support groups that made the presentation.

Advocates are also looking forward to a new software program next year that will track homeless people and the services they receive.

Help finding jobs and transportation are cited as other solutions to reduce homelessness.

One strategy to curb homelessness and panhandling — posting signs at busy intersections to encourage people to donate to support groups instead of directly to panhandlers — apparently isn’t working so far.

“We’ve yet to see any significant donations to homeless support organizations,” Roalstad said.

Some homeless people told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that their biggest frustration with trying to break the cycle of homelessness is finding a job or the necessary services to help them.

“There are so many agencies, but they’re so saturated, and the lines go on forever,” said Michael Adamson, who’s been homeless for six years. “People have to wait and wait, and then we give up on trying.”

Adamson said the situation is more challenging for homeless people who have health issues, are mentally ill or have limited transportation.

“I’ve had all of my toes amputated because of frostbite while sleeping in the cold,” he said. “But I try to have hope that things will get better someday.”

Vander Werf said the county has two commissioners on homeless advocacy boards and is providing resources to help reduce homelessness.

“Churches and faith-based organizations also do a lot but we’re hearing they may want to do more,” he said.

Vander Werf also said commissioners presently have no plans to pass ordinances similar to those recently adopted in Colorado Springs that limit panhandling and ban camping and leaving waste along waterways.