DENVER — A new report released Monday shows a slight increase in overall homelessness in Denver but also reveals some positive trends, according to the 2025 Point-in-Time Count.
The HUD-required 2025 Point-in-Time survey puts the number of people who call Denver-area streets home or live in transitional housing at 10,774, a more than 7% increase from last year’s count of 9,997, according to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI).
However, key findings in the report show more people are sheltered, fewer are newly homeless, and veteran homelessness has dropped 30% in four years.
The number of people in emergency shelters and transitional housing increased this year, going from 7,058 in 2024 to 8,625 in 2025.
In contrast, the number of people sleeping on the streets, in cars, or other places decreased, which the report suggests is due to expanded shelter capacity and cold-weather shelter initiatives.
It's a goal Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said he and his staff had worked toward since his first full day in office when he declared a state of emergency over unsheltered homelessness.
"This is an incredibly exciting day for the city," the mayor said. "Our theory has been that our problems are solvable, and we're the ones to solve them. Even something that seemed as impossible as homelessness, the fact that we have now seen the largest multi-year reduction in homelessness in Denver, of any city in American history, is a remarkable tribute to the city employees who worked so hard to make this happen. It shows that the strategies we're using are working."
Denver7 has covered the issue extensively over the past few years. Many times, business owners throughout Denver have pointed the finger at homelessness for dips in sales and bumps in crime, arguing the city hasn't done enough to help.
In March 2024, Denver7 spoke with Adrienne Scott-Trask, who owns Electric Dream Boutique on South Broadway, about a violent attack and recent homelessness activity.
"We constantly have groups of people smoking meth, fentanyl, you name it. There is heavy drug usage outside of our store," Scott-Trask said at the time. "This is what we deal with every single day."
We spoke with her over the phone on Monday, and she echoed the same sentiment, adding that she didn't feel the situation had improved much since we last spoke with her.
Hanna Zaritsky, who works at a different South Broadway shop and has lived in the area her entire life, told Denver7 she feels the problem is more focused on individuals in need rather than encampments.
"It's usually more just like individuals hanging out in small groups and stuff," she said. "I've definitely noticed more around, like the gas station near where I live."
◼️ Watch Denver7's interview with Mayor Mike Johnston on the 2025 PIT report in the player below
Both Zaritsky and Scott-Trask told Denver7 they'd like to see the city help individuals in need. It's precisely what Mayor Johnston said is next in terms of finding an overall solution for people experiencing homelessness in the city.
"What we do have are people that have high needs, often very significant, acute mental health needs, very acute addiction needs. They're not even camping. They don't have a tent. They don't even have a cardboard box. They're often just walking and using drugs until they pass out," Mayor Johnston said. "Might be in front of someone's store on Broadway or Colfax. That is a real, profound need for us. So, our real focus now is on getting those people into housing and into treatment."
The report also marked the first winter season in which no cold-weather deaths occurred among those sleeping outdoors in the Denver area this past winter due to what MDHI Executive Director Jason Johnson said was increased shelter capacity.
"Access to safe shelter is not just about comfort – it's about survival and creating pathways to permanent housing. We simply cannot help people rebuild their lives if they don't survive the night," said Johnson in a statement. "These results clearly show that when we open resources for people experiencing homelessness, they use them."
The report states that the region also saw a notable decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time, from 3,535 in 2024 to 2,992 in 2025, which may mean prevention efforts are making an impact, according to MDHI.
The MDHI survey concludes that while the total number of people experiencing homelessness in the Denver area increased, the rate of increase has slowed significantly compared to previous years.
However, the numbers are not all that good in other segments of the homeless population.
Johnson stated that over 52,000 Coloradans required housing assistance last year, underscoring the need for further investment in solutions.
In a Denver7 report from last month, we shared the disheartening data from the Department of Housing Stability (HOST) showing the overall number of families experiencing homelessness has increased by 150% in Denver since 2022.
"Every dollar we invest in coordinated housing approaches saves taxpayers more than two dollars in reduced hospital visits, emergency responses, and police interactions," said Johnson in a statement. "We've proven homelessness is solvable—we need to continue investing in what works to efficiently help more people find stable housing."
MDHI calls the Point-in-Time survey a snapshot of a single night — not the complete picture. The survey was conducted on the night of January 27 through the morning of January 28, 2025.
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