Where to Get Help

The City of Boulder, Boulder County and area agencies offer services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or trying to stay housed.

Services Overview

Resources and services for adults, youth and families are listed below.

What do I do if I am concerned about someone experiencing homelessness?

If someone is in crisis or there is a reason to worry about immediate safety, call 911. Dispatchers are trained to determine the right personnel to send to the situation, whether it is the CIRT team or Police/Fire. If there is no life-safety concern, please contact the Boulder Police Department’s non-emergency phone line at 303-441-3333. If you have a relationship with someone experiencing homelessness and it feels safe to do so, you can suggest they connect with Coordinated Entry.

Single Adult Homeless Services

Coordinated Entry

Coordinated Entry is a required step for anyone seeking shelter-related services in Boulder County.

  • Services include shelter; help identifying housing options, basic-needs services, case management and more.

  • Talk with a staff person and go through a short assessment to help connect you with the best resources.

  • Coordinated Entry is available by phone or in person. Call 303-579-4404 or visit 909 Arapahoe Ave. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 12 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays.

  • After hours, you may go to the Boulder Shelter from 5 to 7 p.m. and complete the assessment at the next available time to access future services.

Housing Services

Once Coordinated Entry is completed, qualified individuals can enroll in the Reserved Bed program at Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.

Under the Reserved bed program, clients will participate in housing-focused case management and individually tailored services. This might include prioritization for long-term housing programs for people with significant challenges or short-term assistance including access to employment, benefits and basic needs, coupled with an overnight shelter for people who may be able to resolve through housing crisis with limited assistance.

Diversion and Reunification Services

Diversion and Reunification Services are provided through the Coordinated Entry process or in the first few days of a shelter stay. These services provide light assistance for such things as reunification to families or support systems or assistance with landlord communication. The goal of the Diversion and Reunification Services programs is to keep people from entering long-term homelessness or the sheltering system.

More Community Resources

Boulder Shelter for the Homeless has a list of additional resources. You can view this list on the shelter's website.

Family Services

Emergency Family Assistance Association

The Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) provides services for families in need, including:

  • Housing
  • Food
  • Support with critical expenses such as rent and minor medical costs
  • Guidance by case managers

EFAA's Housing Program provides both short-term and transitional housing.

  • Call EFAA at 303-442-3042 to make an appointment with a case manager.

Youth and Young Adult Services

TGTHR (formerly Attention Homes) 

TGTHR provides safe housing, food, clothing, counseling, employment help, health care, transportation assistance and other support services to individuals ages 12 to 24.

  • Drop-in Center: Open every day, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.
  • Overnight emergency shelter: Open every night, 5 to 8 p.m.
  • Appointments: Can be scheduled every day between 8 a.m. and noon.

More information

Safe Shelter

Domestic Violence

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) provides services including crisis intervention, shelter, legal advocacy and counseling for adults, youth and children who have been impacted by domestic or dating violence or are questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.

  • If you or someone you know needs help, call SPAN's 24-hour hotline at 303-444-2424 or email hotline@safehousealliance.org. You can also contact SPAN by phone at 303-449-8623 or by mail at:
    SPAN
    835 North Street
    Boulder, CO 80304

Pregnant Women

Mother House provides safe shelter for pregnant women and women choosing adoption who are in need. Residents can participate in birthing, pregnancy and parenting classes at Boulder Foothills Hospital, paid for by Mother House, and receive information on how to connect with community services, many of which require a legal residence, including pre-natal and birthing health care, Medicaid and Food Stamps, Woman and Infant Children (WIC) program, and Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

Critical Weather Nights

What are Critical Weather Nights?

Critical weather nights are when the forecast is predicted to be 10°F or below in the evening, 20°F or below during the day and/or six inches or more of snowfall is expected.

Location

More Information

We recognize that critical weather nights are likely during Colorado winters and can be especially impactful to those who are unhoused. When the forecast shows that Critical Weather Conditions will be reached, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless will make an additional 20 beds available at the shelter.

  • While this system provides extra shelter beds during critical weather, beds are limited and there is no guarantee of bed availability.

  • People are encouraged to make other arrangements where possible or to engage with year-round programming.

  • Individuals seeking shelter and services are strongly encouraged to contact Coordinated Entry at 303-579-4404 to be assessed for available services. Walk-up, in-person Coordinated Entry is available at 909 Arapahoe Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tuesdays noon to 4 p.m.).

  • The Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) facility can hold up to 160 beds. During the height of the winter season, BSH will continue its commitment to managing an additional 30 hotel rooms for the most vulnerable shelter residents and an additional 20 beds at the shelter for critical weather nights. This brings total capacity to 210 beds during the coldest nights.

To access this service, people must meet certain requirements.

  • Arrive before 7 p.m.

  • Be in good standing at BSH and follow the shelter’s health and safety requirements

Resource Summary

Service

Description

Population Served

Coordinated Entry (CE)

Initial screening for access to shelter and programs.

All single adults experiencing homelessness.

Diversion and Reunification Services

Addresses immediate crises through problem-solving, financial assistance, connection to mediation resources, family reunification, mental health and transportation to help people avoid entering the shelter system or homelessness.

All single adults experiencing homelessness.

Reserved Bed

Designed to allow for a consistent shelter bed for people who can meet certain use requirements and who are utilizing case management services.

All people experiencing homelessness who have been screened through CE and enroll in the program.

Housing Focused Case Management

Case management and services to support basic needs, health and exiting homelessness into housing. Access to reserved beds until housed.

All people experiencing homelessness who have been screened through CE and are currently engaged with a program.

Critical Weather Nights

Life-safety shelter during inclement weather. Must go through CE (with grace night provided) and can use for 90 nights.

All people experiencing homelessness who have been screened through CE but are not currently engaged with a program.

Non-Congregate Shelter (NCS)

Hotel or sheltering provided with separate sleeping spaces.

People designated by Boulder Shelter for the Homeless or participants in specific sheltering programs such as SPAN and Mother House.

Guide to Homelessness

Stay Connected

Community Partner

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