City Releases 2026 July Point in Time Count Results

On July 21, 2026, the City of Boulder completed its fourth annual summer Point in Time Count of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the city. Findings from the count are available on the Point in Time Count dashboard on the city's website.

City staff and nonprofit partners conducted the July 2026 count using several methods, including observation and asking the same questions as the January 2026 count. Key findings include:

• 88 individuals were observed experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Of this total, 37 individuals participated in a survey. Please note, not all survey respondents answered all survey questions.
  • This represents a summer count reduction of 48% since 2023 and a winter count reduction of 55% since 2023.
• 28% of people surveyed first experienced homelessness in Boulder.
• 69% of people surveyed reported experiencing chronic homelessness (one year or longer).
• 70% of people surveyed reported living with one or more disabling conditions.

"While Point in Time Count represents a snapshot of a single night and naturally fluctuates from year to year, both January and July 2026 counts were the lowest the city has recorded since beginning city-specific summer counts in 2023," said Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services. "These results are encouraging and reflect continued progress in reducing unsheltered homelessness while underscoring the need to remain focused on people experiencing chronic homelessness and other complex needs."

Because the count is a snapshot of homelessness on a single night, with variables such as participation, weather and other factors, results from the count do not accurately reflect the actual number of people living unhoused.

Point in Time Counts help identify how many people are experiencing homelessness in a community at a specific moment in time. Each January, communities across the country conduct a Point in Time Count. Data from this count helps show how homelessness in an area is changing over time. Communities that participate in this nationwide effort receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help support local homelessness initiatives. This data is collected at a countywide level and is available on the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) website.

In addition to the annual countywide January count, the cities of Longmont and Boulder - assisted by Boulder County - began conducting city-specific July counts in 2023 to better understand seasonal trends in how people experience homelessness. While the January count focuses on both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, the July count focuses on unsheltered homelessness, as the city traditionally experiences an increase in this type of homelessness in the summer. The information collected in the count helps the city identify how the unsheltered population and individuals' needs differ from summer to winter.

More information about homelessness in Boulder is available on the city's website.