Larimer County staff push for shared local homelessness definitions and set sequential-intercept workshop; regional land-use convening previews Prop 123 fast‑tr

Larimer County officials on April 16 told county commissioners they are moving to align local definitions of homelessness, await a sequential‑intercept mapping workshop for justice‑involved residents, and are coordinating with regional partners on land‑use changes prompted by Colorado’s Prop 123 effort.

County staff said the county has discussed updating subobjective language in the county’s 2024–28 strategic plan to “lean more into local definitions of homelessness” and to align local funding and reporting across Larimer County with the Homeward Alliance strategic plan now under development. The change is offered as a way to close gaps created by the federal definition of homelessness, staff said.

Why it matters: County leaders said relying on shared local language could reduce administrative gaps that leave some special populations without access to services. Commissioners signaled support for the proposed language changes and asked staff to return with updated subobjective text.

Staff also reviewed a planned sequential‑intercept mapping workshop intended to explore gaps between behavioral health and the criminal justice system and to identify services that could prevent deeper justice system involvement. Emily Humphrey, director of Community Justice Alternatives, told commissioners the county previously received a SAMHSA (federal) grant in 2020 to map several intercepts but could only complete three intercepts because the work was forced online during COVID. Humphrey said the upcoming in‑person workshop will cover all intercepts, run about a day and a half, include roughly 60 participants from government, law enforcement and nonprofit housing and behavioral‑health providers, and produce a report of gaps and recommendations.

“What that is is back in 2020, we were able to get a grant by SAMHSA…we were only able to do 3 [intercepts]…we did not have Longview, we did not have our competency docket, and we did not have peer support,” Humphrey said. She said the sheriff’s department provided funding to bring the workshop to Larimer County and that last time the mapping produced an roughly 80‑page report identifying strengths and weaknesses.

County staff also described a regional Prop 123 (referred to in materials and the convening as “Prop 1 2 3”) convening held April 3, which drew more than 30 participants from municipal community‑development offices across Larimer County including Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud and Estes Park, and a presenter from Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The convening focused on two obligations under the statewide measure: (1) a jurisdictional commitment to increase affordable housing supply by an annual target and (2) a required local “fast‑track” land‑use approval process that would approve qualifying affordable‑housing plans within 90 days. County staff said each jurisdiction must have the fast‑track process in place by 2027.

Commissioners asked about DOLA incentives referenced in news reporting. A county staff member said DOLA has set aside funds that could be available to jurisdictions that demonstrate earlier adoption of the fast‑track process; staff said they would follow up on the exact timing and application details.

Commissioners and staff discussed the county’s different role compared with cities that process more development, and staff said DOLA has shared template resolutions jurisdictions can adapt for county‑level action. Commissioners expressed support for continuing regional coordination so local governments aren’t competing for developers and so the region can align approaches to meet Prop 123 targets.

The county presentation tied the homelessness and justice work to housing policy by noting the “last intercept” in the sequential mapping is reentry into the community — a stage where housing resources are critical to prevent recidivism and support successful transitions.

Next steps: County staff said they will incorporate the suggested subobjective language changes into the strategic plan materials, bring updates from Homeward Alliance’s countywide strategic plan when available, hold the sequential‑intercept workshop later this month and return with the workshop’s findings at the next quarterly update, and follow up on DOLA funding and timelines for Prop 123 incentives.