Larimer County, nonprofits begin work on homelessness plan – Loveland Reporter-Herald
Larimer County, Homeward Alliance and other nonprofit partners are launching a new strategic initiative to address homelessness within Larimer County, a project that will seek to find solutions to the problem and will present a final plan in 2025.
Municipalities in Larimer County, including Loveland, Fort Collins and Estes Park, each have their own approaches and programs for mitigating homelessness, but the new project, according to a news release, aims to increase regional collaboration on the issue.
“The coalition recognized the importance of each city’s existing homelessness response plans, yet identified ways in which improved regional collaboration would enable resource sharing, continuity of services across boundaries, and more efficient data coordination,” the release read in part.
Grants from the state of Colorado secured by Homeward Alliance, with help from in-kind donations from Larimer County, helped the coalition hire two consulting firms, JG Research & Evaluation and OMNI Institute, to lead the planning efforts.
The final plan is expected to be published in September 2025, with implementation beginning soon after.
“As a community, we share both a responsibility and an opportunity to effectively address homelessness with empathy, collaboration, and action,” John Kefalas, chair of the Larimer Board of County Commissioners, said in the news release.
“We know that every individual and family experiencing homelessness has a unique story and diverse needs. By working closely with our partners across Larimer County, we’re committed to building a plan that honors those experiences and acknowledges the complexities of the issue while ensuring we optimize our community resources. This strategic plan marks an important step toward a future where everyone can access safe, stable, secure housing and necessary supportive services,” he said.
Interviews, focus groups, surveys and other methods will be used to include voices from a spectrum of stakeholders, including nonprofit agencies, foundations, elected officials, technical experts, those experiencing homelessness and other community members, the release said, with a goal to create a plan that is actionable and reflects the community’s diverse needs and values.
The plan will include specific strategies and tactics tailored for Loveland, Fort Collins and Estes Park to implement and address each city’s unique needs.
“The need for regional collaboration is made even more pressing given significant changes in the local homelessness response system, spurred by COVID-19 relief funding,” David Rout, Homeward Alliance executive director, said in the release. ”With temporary pandemic-era funding phasing out, Larimer County must develop a sustainable, coordinated plan to guide the region forward.”
