The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided Douglas County with $68.2 million in federal funding to support COVID-19 recovery and long-term community resilience. A portion of these funds is being used to support the Douglas County Homeless Initiative, supporting programs like HEART, reintegration services and regional partnerships focused on ending homelessness. Select the Homelessness option in the dashboard below to view more funding details.
As of January 28, 2024
In October 2019 with support from Community Solutions, Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Health Foundation, the State of Colorado launched Built for Zero: Colorado. A collaborative effort between local community teams, statewide partners and federal agencies, Built for Zero: Colorado is focused on using real-time, person-specific data to measurably end homelessness, one population at a time.
Douglas County actively participates in the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s annual Point-in-Time Count, a coordinated effort across seven metro-area counties to assess homelessness on a single night each January, along with additional counts in the summer. These counts help identify trends, allocate resources and evaluate the effectiveness of local programs. The data we collect shapes our services and ensures that we remain focused on real, measurable outcomes.
Recognizing seasonal variations, Douglas County also conducts a summer PIT Count to capture data during warmer months when homelessness may increase.
The summer 2025 count revealed significant progress:
Reduction in individuals sleeping outside: From 43 in 2022 to 4 in 2025.
46% decrease in people living in vehicles and sleeping outside since summer 2023.
No encampments of more than one individual found.
These outcomes underscore the effectiveness of initiatives like the Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team (HEART) and the “Handouts Don’t Help” campaign, which focus on proactive outreach and encouraging donations to local nonprofits.
The January PIT Count offers a snapshot of homelessness during the coldest months, highlighting the immediate needs of those without shelter. This data is instrumental in shaping our winter response strategies and ensuring that resources are directed where they’re needed most.
Recognizing seasonal variations, Douglas County also conducts a summer PIT Count to capture data during warmer months when homelessness may increase.
