Douglas County reports low numbers in summer point-in-time; HEART team cites large referral volume and housing outcomes

Rand Clark, director of community services for Douglas County, reported the county’s summer point-in-time (PIT) count totaled 72 people after the count conducted the night of July 28. The county’s HEART (Homeless Engagement and Response Team) navigators also reported monthly service and referral outcomes showing frequent contacts and housing placements.

The PIT and HEART figures were discussed at a Douglas County Homeless Initiative meeting where Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) staff also presented statewide and regional data. “The total count for the summertime was 72,” Rand Clark said, describing the county’s summertime methodology and the use of HEART teams, municipal partners and even drone scans to check open-space areas.

The MDHI presentation, delivered by Sofia Vigil, director of strategy and impact, placed local counts in a broader regional and statewide context. “Looking at Colorado as a whole, there are approximately 52 almost 53,000 people that accessed services related to homelessness and housing,” Vigil said, noting MDHI’s role as the state HMIS lead and its January point-in-time results for the Metro Denver region.

Why it matters: the county’s data suggest a reduction in visible unsheltered homelessness compared with prior counts and show HEART’s outreach process is producing housing-related outcomes for most people reached. Clark and HEART staff stressed differences between the HUD single-night PIT (which yields a point-in-time snapshot) and ongoing HMIS/HEART counts that capture people who access services during a calendar year.

Most important facts

- Summer PIT (county): 72 people counted (count night July 28). Rand Clark attributed increases in the sheltered total to expanded shelter capacity and partnerships such as Family Tree’s GOALS program.

- HEART monthly data (July): HEART reported 190 referrals, 36 new clients enrolled, 38 exits and a current by-name total of 66 people the HEART team classified as unhoused in July (36 sheltered; 25 sleeping in vehicles; 5 sleeping outside), according to HEART navigator Dante Young.

- MDHI / statewide context: MDHI reported roughly 52,000–53,000 people accessed homelessness-related services over the 2024 calendar year statewide and noted 58 people were counted in Douglas County on the HUD January 27 point-in-time count (30 sheltered, 28 unsheltered) as part of the regional January 27, 2025 submission.

- Outcomes after HEART engagement: of those contacted in the county outreach referrals that HEART followed, roughly 75% were placed into some form of housing or shelter (emergency shelter, temporary housing, or permanent housing) rather than remaining homeless from one summer to the next. Clark said only seven people who were sleeping outside last summer remained in that condition this summer.

Supporting details and context

HEART’s outreach model relies on referrals from the public, law enforcement and nonprofit partners. Clark summarized outreach volume and outcomes for the prior year: “From point in time last summer to point in time this summer, our heart team had over 1,100 referrals. They contacted 676 people… a heart served 331 people during that year.” Randall Clark and HEART staff described typical reasons people are counted as transient, including out-of-county movement and short-term crisis situations.

HEART navigator Dante Young gave the July operational snapshot: “Last month in July, we had 36 new clients enrolled in our HEART program. 38 were exited.” Young also provided the breakdown for the current by-name list: 36 sheltered, 25 in vehicles, 5 sleeping outside.

Local jurisdiction detail and recognition

Clark gave jurisdiction-level counts: 16 in Castle Rock, 5 in Highlands Ranch, 0 in Castle Pines this year, 8 in Parker, and zero encounters in Lone Tree on the night of the count. Lone Tree officials — Commander Brett Callahan and Lieutenant Scott Vandenberg — joined the meeting and were recognized. County leaders presented Lone Tree with a certificate of recognition for reaching zero people found sleeping in the city during the count.

Program and partner notes

- Family Tree: Paolo Diaz, CEO of Family Tree, was recognized for increased shelter capacity under the GOALS family shelter program; Clark said Family Tree recently increased the number of families served and that one additional family was moving into GOALS the week of the meeting.

- HEART operations: the HEART team reported use of text and phone referral lines, business engagements and public events (Strive to Thrive resource fair) to connect people to services.

- Methodological differences: meeting presenters emphasized that the HUD PIT (single-night count) and HMIS calendar-year service totals measure different populations; MDHI said PIT methodology varies slightly by community and that HMIS is the primary source for year-round service figures.

Quotes

“Looking at Colorado as a whole, there are approximately 52 almost 53,000 people that accessed services related to homelessness and housing,” said Sofia Vigil, director of strategy and impact at Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, describing the statewide HMIS-based report.

“The total count for the summertime was 72,” Rand Clark said when presenting the county’s summer PIT results and explaining how shelter capacity increases affected sheltered totals.

“Last month in July, we had 36 new clients enrolled in our HEART program. 38 were exited,” HEART Navigator Dante Young said, summarizing HEART operational data for the month.

Remaining uncertainties and limits

- PIT counts are a single-night snapshot and can vary with methodology; MDHI warned against direct year-over-year trend comparisons without accounting for methodology shifts.

- Some HEART figures are operationally defined (e.g., “no contact” exits) and reflect case management practices rather than a count of all unhoused people in the county at any moment.

Ending note

County leaders said the combined data and the HEART outreach process will inform budget and program planning in the coming months. Officials also urged continued municipal and nonprofit partnership to sustain shelter capacity and rapid rehousing tools that HEART staff identified as priorities.