Metro Denver Homeless Initiative

05/28/2026

As May comes to a close, MDHI is reflecting on the deep intersections of AAPI Heritage Month, National Affordable Housing Month, and Memorial Day.

The permanent recognition of AAPI history in the U.S. was the result of a decades-long advocacy effort. For MDHI, honoring that legacy means continuing the push for systemic fairness, specifically by recognizing how culture, identity, and affordability impact housing stability.

Systemic barriers do not affect every community in the same way. True progress requires regional solutions that are culturally responsive and inclusive. Ensuring everyone in Metro Denver has a safe place to call home means actively listening to and elevating the diverse voices within the AAPI community and all neighbors across our region.

05/27/2026

MDHI, Adams County Government, CO, and the City and County of Denver Government recently came together for a two-day, in-person Right at Home working session. This interactive event brought partners together to map our current prevention landscape and begin designing a more coordinated, targeted future prevention system.

Participants dove into the essential components of the Right at Home framework and collaborated on a shared strategy to prevent homelessness before it begins.

Thank you to everyone who showed up ready to engage, brainstorm, and build a stronger system together!

Learn more: www.mdhi.org/blog/metro-denver-homeless-initiative-announces-partnership-with-right-at-home

Destination: Home

05/21/2026

MDHI joined the City and County of Denver Government yesterday to celebrate the results of the 2026 PIT Count and to discuss what the next steps are in continuing our work.

Mayor Mike Johnston highlighted that the City and County of Denver has seen a decrease in homelessness for the first time in nearly 10 years. MDHI Executive Director Jason Johnson then joined in saying that the Metro Denver region decreased from 10,774 in 2025 to 9,950 in 2026—an 8 percent total reduction.

Both the 2025 State of Homelessness Report, which MDHI released on Monday, and the 2026 PIT Count are showing decreases in homelessness across our region and demonstrating that when we work together, real progress is possible.

We thank our partners across the region for their efforts in helping us conduct this year's PIT and look forward to continuing to build upon this progress!

View the 2026 PIT data at: www.mdhi.org/pit
View the 2025 State of Homelessness report at: www.cohmis.org/soh2025

05/20/2026

With the simultaneous release of the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and the 2025 State of Homelessness Report, several distinct data points are currently circulating regarding homelessness trends in the Metro Denver region.

The numbers being shared by MDHI and our regional partners are all accurate, and it is important to understand the context behind each percentage as they represent entirely different datasets, geographic regions, and timeframes.

MDHI intentionally released these reports concurrently to provide a comprehensive, multi-dimensional view of our region, and because they are interconnected and support one another.

Review these infographics for a breakdown of these methodologies and to understand how these datasets complement one another to demonstrate regional progress.

Read the full reports and access the complete data at www.mdhi.org.

05/20/2026

This morning, MDHI released the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count data. Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the PIT is an annual single-night census of neighbors experiencing homelessness.

The data reveals a significant turning point: overall homelessness in Metro Denver has decreased by 8 percent. Even more encouraging, we saw a 21 percent reduction in the number of individuals sleeping outdoors or in places not meant for human habitation.

This progress is all thanks to the dedicated provider network, local governments, and community partners across seven metro counties who have worked tirelessly to align strategies. Thank you for your hard work and commitment in ensuring everyone in our region has a safe, stable place to call home.

View the 2026 PIT data at: www.mdhi.org/pit

05/18/2026

The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), on behalf of Colorado's four Continuums of Care (CoC), has released the 2025 Colorado State of Homelessness Report, providing a statewide look at homelessness, housing stability, and system performance.

Developed collaboratively by partners across the state, this year’s report expands beyond a singular focus to include the broader range of households served across our network—encompassing street outreach, emergency shelter, prevention, and housing programs.

Click to Read the Full Report: www.cohmis.org/soh2025
Click here to read the Press Release: www.mdhi.org/blog/press-release-2025-state-of-homelessness-report

The data reveals a powerful overarching message: Our collaborative efforts are working, and we are seeing significant, measurable improvement in Colorado’s housing stability.

As Jason Johnson, Executive Director of MDHI, noted on the release:
“The 1.3% reduction in the number of people experiencing homelessness across Metro Denver shows that we are turning the curve. What we are doing is working! This is the combined results of a statewide system of partners working together toward the common goal of solving homelessness quickly and long-term.”
Read the full report and official press release to explore the regional data, local partnership spotlights, and system metrics driving these solutions forward:

05/13/2026

Last week, Elevated Denver hosted their first annual Voices & Visions: Stories That Spark Hope event. Jason Johnson, Executive Director, and Sofia Vigil, Director of Strategy & Impact, of MDHI were thrilled to be invited to and attend this immersive exhibition by artists with lived experience of homelessness.

Elevated Denver is celebrating five years of capturing stories from our neighbors that have served to educate the public, foster compassion, and drive new solutions to homelessness. This event featured photos, personal narratives, and spoken word from people with lived experience of homelessness.

Congratulations on this achievement and thank you for continuing to highlight the importance of centering LE voices!

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

Cold weather sheltering resources will be activated for Jefferson County from May 5-7. Cold weather poses a serious danger to people who are unsheltered, and Jefferson County encourages community members to seek available resources. Details here: https://www.jeffco.us/5146/Cold-Weather-Activation

04/23/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Metro Denver CoC Convening!

We’re incredibly grateful to share that this year’s convening was sold out, with more than 140 organizations represented. We also had over 100 people attend virtually! Grounded in lived expertise, the day was a powerful reminder of our region's commitment to come together, collaborate, and strengthen our collective response to homelessness.

Thank you to Donald Burnes, Co-Founder of the Burnes Institute for Poverty Research, Johnna Flood of Elevated Denver, and Dr. Jamie Rife of Housing Connector for taking part in a facilitated discussion on lived experience during the morning session. We also thank Charles Gilford of Inner City Health Center, Councilmember Darrell Watson, District 9, and Auraria Campus CEO Colleen Walker for a meaningful and impactful closing session.

We’re also deeply appreciative of our breakout session leaders and partners including: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver Health, Violence Free Colorado, Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, our YALC/LEAC, City of Arvada Government, City and County of Broomfield - Government, the refuge, and Harm Reduction Action Center—who brought critical insights and practical tools to the day.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who showed up, engaged, and contributed. Your partnership is what makes this work possible!