Current State
Letter from Mayor Hickenlooper: DRH 10-Year Plan Update
When Denver's Road Home was started four years ago, the Homeless Commission could never have anticipated a year like we've just had. Who would have thought that our economy would shift into a global recession unlike anything we have experienced since the Great Depression? And yet, in the midst of unparalleled economic challenges, there comes great opportunity. There has never been a more important time for Denver to have a plan... a plan to end homelessness as we know it.
During the past year, our homeless plan has been tested and we expect the coming year will continue to pose new challenges for us. Housing foreclosures, unemployment and funding cutbacks will continue to place new demands on our 10-year plan to end homelessness. As a result, I asked the Homeless Commission to update our plan so we can respond swiftly and efficiently to the changing needs of our homeless community. As we move into year five of Denver's Road Home, our community must now, more than ever, work together to ensure that every homeless man, woman and child has an alternative to living life on the streets.
We have been asked lately if the economy is going to impact the progress we are making to end homelessness as we know it in 10 years. The answer is simple: We have never been more determined to move this initiative forward.
Just look at the numbers:
• In the past four years, we have developed more than 1,500 new units of housing for the homeless in partnership with our community;
• We have prevented more than 2,000 families from becoming homeless and helped 3,278 homeless people obtain employment;
• The faith community continues to stand by our side, and has assisted in mentoring 564 families out of homelessness;
• In partnership with the Mile High United Way, we have achieved our aggressive fundraising goal of $46.1 million in the first four years of the plan, with the goal of moving toward a more sustainable and privately funded plan by year seven;
And in the midst of one of our most challenging economic climates, we have 500 new units of affordable housing in the pipeline that will be developed over the next two years!
Indeed, it has been a challenging year, but one with great victories and promise for the future of this important community initiative. As a result of significant cost savings to the community through Denver's Road Home, Denver City Council responded with a proclamation supporting the development of 482 new units of affordable housing.
We also were given the exciting opportunity to showcase our success during the Democratic National Convention, putting the national spotlight on the work we have done to create new housing and services for the homeless men, women and children of the community.
These are just a handful of reasons we are urging the Denver community to continue to embrace Denver's Road Home and remain focused on housing, services and prevention. Denver has a plan, and in year five, it is critical that we move this plan forward to end homelessness as we know it.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to Denver's homeless.
Sincerely,
John W. Hickenlooper
Mayor of Denver
View our Year Four Executive Summary
Denver's Homelessness Crisis.
According to the January 2009 Point-In-Time Survey there are more than 6,600 homeless men, women and children living in Denver. This is a sobering statistic, especially when you consider that:
- 47% of the homeless are people in families with children.
- 42% percent of homeless respondents in Denver are women.
- 40% of the homeless are working.
- The most commonly reported reasons for homelessness reported in Denver are loss of a job (35%), housing costs (31%) and the breakup of a family (20%).
These men, women and children must have access to affordable housing and the services they need to return to self-sufficiency.
View the complete Denver Metropolitan Area 2009 Homeless Point-In-Time Key Findings
"Helping our homeless is the right thing to do and it will save Denver millions of dollars a year."
