Homelessness and Housing

Project Description

Homelessness and housing insecurity is a hot-button issue across the nation and in the Greeley area. The City of Greeley, along with local non-profits, have met since 2020 to discuss ideas for addressing homelessness and affordable housing issues. During this first phase of engagement, we hope to have a dialogue with Greeley and Evans community members to explore ideas and perceptions about homelessness and housing alternatives. Your input will provide Greeley City Council with a comprehensive picture of how the community understands and interacts with this issue.

Progress To-Date

In August 2021, the City released a Request for Proposal for additional research on possible sheltering and housing alternatives. In November 2021, the City finalized a contract with Urbanity Advisors to complete this work. Community Conversations were held in February, April, and May 2022 to gather resident input. Meetings were held virtually and in person. On June 14, a final project report and recommendations were presented to City Council. Recommendations included:
1. Utilize the collective impact framework to coordinate cross-organizational collaboration.

2. Conduct a housing needs assessment.

3. Pursue pre-development research for a service-based campus model approach.

4. Establish a clear understanding of homelessness's risk & protective factors (with collective impact).

5. Establish a user-friendly resource guide for organizations, housed, and un-housed community members (with collective impact).

6. Explore creative temporary solutions.

Based on the recommendations, City staff suggested that a Housing Advisory Council be created to address the collective impact framework and further collaboration efforts. This would include the necessary staffing/resources to support the City’s efforts. Additional action would include:

• Further consideration of a service-based campus model that can offer several homeless services, sheltering and permanent supportive housing all on one site.
• Exploration of temporary solutions to fill gaps in services such as safe parking and safe camping.

The City is already working to conduct a housing needs assessment, has begun work with providers to address homelessness's risk and protective factors, and is collaborating on a comprehensive and user-friendly resource guide.

Council members provided feedback on the recommendations and instructed staff to supply further timelines and action steps for implementation at future City Council meetings and in concert with the Strategic Plan update.