BOULDER, Colo. — Along the banks of Boulder Creek, it's easy to spot homeless encampments.
“Homelessness has been an issue we've been working on for a very long time,” said Megan Newton, City of Boulder policy advisor on homelessness.
It's an issue the City of Boulder has been trying to tackle for years. Their latest solution: a first-of-its kind program launched back in March called Building Home.
Building Home is a three-year project that aims to provide support to roughly 50 people who are newly housed through services like peer support, daytime services and housing retention. It is being funded through money from the American Rescue Plan Act.
“So intervention that we mostly use to assist folks into housing is called permanent supportive housing, which comes with a caseworker,” said Newton.
According to Newton, 80 percent of people who enter into permanent supportive housing have success, while 20 percent struggle due to things like isolation and lack of support in areas such as mental health and substance abuse.
That's where Robyn Steuber, the housing retention team clinical lead at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, comes in.
“I’ll be doing the mental health care part of it. We’ll also have peer support and a nurse,” she explained.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are some of the most common mental health issues Steuber's team runs into.
“If you reduce the barrier, bringing that help to them, it can help them stabilize a lot faster,” said Steuber.
Molly East with Focus Reentry works with people who have experience in the criminal justice system and are considered the highest risk for re-offending.
“For someone to be successful in reentry, they need a stable place to live,” said East. “Our goal is to match them with a peer who has lived experience."
In 2022, more than 1,100 people were reached out for services in Boulder County, according to the city. On any given night, around 450 people are experiencing homelessness, the city said.
Those interested in the Building Home program can contact the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless or a local service provider.
