Boulder council hears evaluation of homelessness system, commissions systems-modeling strategy

Boulder City Council on Feb. 13, 2025 received a county-funded evaluation of the local homeless services collaborative and directed staff to proceed with a systems-modeling strategy update led by consulting firm Clutch, while also adopting an emergency ordinance on the council’s consent agenda.

The evaluation of the Housing and Human Services Collaborative (HSBC), presented by Margaret “Meg” Chamberlain of Public Policy Associates, affirmed the collaborative’s housing-first orientation but flagged gaps in data integration, perceived equity concerns and a hostile community climate toward people experiencing homelessness. Assistant City Manager Mark Wolf and Clutch founder Mandy Chapman Semple described a systems-modeling process that the city and partners plan to use to test scenarios and prioritize investments.

Why it matters: Council members said they want a strategy that links goals, resources and measurable outcomes amid shrinking temporary funds and ongoing pressure on shelters and public spaces. City staff warned that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that supported new programs will expire in 2025–2026, potentially reducing local capacity unless alternate funding is identified.

Key findings presented

Public Policy Associates’ evaluation reinforced that “housing first continues to be the best practice,” and that HSBC’s collaborative approach is a strength, the consultant said. The evaluation identified six themes: data systems, equity, community climate, housing and supports, crisis services and collaboration. It singled out a technical barrier: limited integration between the county’s local case-tracking system and the national Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which complicates analysis and predictive modeling.

The report also…