City-specific summer counts help to build seasonal understanding of unsheltered homelessness.

On July 22, 2025, the City of Boulder completed its third annual summer Point in Time Count of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the city. Findings from the count are available on the Point in Time Count dashboard on the city’s website.

Point in Time Counts help identify how many people are experiencing homelessness in a community at a specific moment in time. Each January, communities across the country conduct a Point in Time Count. Data from this count helps show how homelessness in an area is changing over time. Communities that participate in this nationwide effort receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help support local homelessness initiatives. This data is collected at a countywide level and is available on the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) website.

In addition to the annual countywide January count, the cities of Longmont and Boulder – assisted by Boulder County – began conducting city-specific July counts in 2023 to better understand seasonal trends in how people experience homelessness. While the January count focuses on both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, the July count focuses on unsheltered homelessness, as the city traditionally experiences an increase in this type of homelessness in the summer. The information collected in the count helps the city identify how the unsheltered population and individuals’ needs differ from summer to winter.

City staff and nonprofit partners conducted the July 2025 count using several methods, including observation and asking the same questions as the January 2025 count. Key findings include:

  • 140 individuals were observed experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Of this total, 74 individuals participated in a survey. Please note, not all survey respondents answered all survey questions.
    • This represents a summer count reduction of 18% since 2023 and a winter count reduction of 22% since 2023.
  • 31% of people surveyed first experienced homelessness in Boulder.
  • 72% of people surveyed reported experiencing chronic homelessness (one year or longer).
  • 76% of people surveyed reported living with one or more disabling conditions.

“While our most recent counts show a slight increase in the number of people sleeping outside compared to last year, Boulder continues to see an overall decrease in homelessness compared to recent years — a trend that sets us apart from many other communities seeing significant increases,” said Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services. “This progress reflects the strength of our comprehensive approach, from keeping people housed to helping those who are unhoused find a path back inside. We will continue focusing on strategies that work — such as direct housing opportunities, rental assistance, behavioral health supports, diversion and reunification efforts — but lasting success will require sustained investment from across our community.”

Because the count is a snapshot of homelessness on a single night, with variables such as participation, weather and other factors, results from the count do not accurately reflect the actual number of people living unhoused.

More information about homelessness in Boulder is available on the city’s website.

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