For Students

Boulder has made progress on chronic homelessness but significant challenges remain.

Key facts:

• Boulder County uses a Coordinated Entry system — anyone seeking shelter must go through a single assessment process first

• The city has a Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) focused on connecting people with services rather than enforcement

• Youth homelessness is a specific focus — TGTHR serves young people ages 12–24

• A shortage of deeply affordable housing and behavioral health services are the biggest remaining gaps according to the City of Boulder's 2025 strategy update

For more information:
Visit the City of Boulder's homelessness resources page at bouldercolorado.gov

Myth: Everyone experiencing homelessness chose to be there.
Fact: Most people experiencing homelessness are dealing with a combination of factors including job loss, medical debt, mental health challenges, domestic violence, or housing costs — not personal choice.

Myth: Giving someone money makes things worse.
Fact: Research is mixed on this. Many advocates say giving directly to people is fine. The most important thing is that local services exist and are funded.

Myth: Boulder's homeless population is mostly people from other places.
Fact: Boulder prioritizes services for people with local ties. The city's strategy focuses on helping Boulder County residents and using diversion services to help non-residents find resources closer to home.

Myth: There's nothing a student can do.
Fact: Students can volunteer, organize drives, raise awareness, and build lasting community projects — like this one.

Youth homelessness looks different from adult homelessness. Most young people don't end up on the streets by choice — they're pushed out or forced out of situations that should have been safe.

Common causes of youth homelessness:

Family breakdown — The most common cause. A parent loses a job, gets sick, or the family loses housing. Teens sometimes end up without a place to go through no fault of their own.

Family conflict or rejection — LGBTQ+ youth are significantly overrepresented in the homeless youth population. Many are asked to leave or feel unsafe at home after coming out.

Aging out of foster care — Young people who turn 18 in the foster care system often lose their housing and support overnight with nowhere to go.

Domestic violence — Teens fleeing abuse at home sometimes end up without safe housing.

Mental health crises — Untreated mental health conditions can make it impossible to maintain stable housing, school, or relationships.

What makes it hard to get help:
Many youth don't identify as "homeless" — they're couch surfing, staying with friends, or sleeping in cars. They often don't know what resources exist or don't trust adults enough to ask.

In Boulder:
TGTHR specifically serves young people ages 12–24 experiencing homelessness. They provide outreach, housing, food, counseling, and employment help.
📞 303-447-1207 | tgthryouth.org

If you've ever wondered why someone experiencing homelessness can't just walk into a shelter and get a bed — Coordinated Entry is the answer.

What it is:
Coordinated Entry is a system used across Boulder County to match people experiencing homelessness with the right services. Instead of showing up at different organizations and hoping for help, everyone goes through one central assessment first.

How it works:

1. A person calls or walks in to the Coordinated Entry point — in Boulder that's All Roads Shelter at 4869 N. Broadway

2. They complete a short assessment that measures their vulnerability and housing needs

3. Based on that assessment they're matched with the most appropriate services — emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, or permanent supportive housing

4. They're placed on a list and connected with a case manager

Why it exists:
Before Coordinated Entry systems existed, people would show up at multiple shelters, get turned away, and fall through the cracks. Coordinated Entry makes sure the most vulnerable people get help first and that resources are used efficiently.

The limitation:
There aren't enough shelter beds or affordable housing units to serve everyone in the system. Getting assessed doesn't guarantee immediate housing — it guarantees you're in the system and being worked with.

In Boulder:
📞 303-579-4404 | Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm
📍 4869 N. Broadway, Boulder

Most people assume homelessness is simple to fix — just give someone a house. The reality is more complicated. Here's why it's hard, and what research shows actually works.

The core problem: not enough housing
Boulder and most American cities don't have enough deeply affordable housing. Even when someone is ready and motivated to get housed, there often isn't a unit available at a price they can afford. You can't solve homelessness without building more affordable housing — everything else is a bridge.

What actually works:

Housing First
The most evidence-backed approach. Instead of requiring people to get sober, employed, or mentally stable before getting housing, Housing First provides stable housing immediately and wraps services around people once they're housed. Research consistently shows better long-term outcomes than shelter-first approaches. Boulder's strategy incorporates Housing First principles.

Coordinated Entry
When well-resourced, Coordinated Entry systems reduce the time people spend homeless and ensure the most vulnerable get help first. The system only works if there are enough housing units and services available — which is the ongoing challenge.

Outreach teams
Studies show dedicated outreach workers — rather than police — are more effective at connecting people with services. Boulder's Homeless Outreach Team and Behavioral Health Crisis Response Team reflect this approach.

What doesn't work:
Simply moving people along — sweeping encampments without connecting people to services — doesn't reduce homelessness. Research consistently shows this approach is expensive and ineffective long-term. It just moves the problem somewhere else.

The bottom line:
Housing solves homelessness. Everything else is a bridge to get there. The hard part is building enough of it at a price people can afford.