Colorado Springs: City launches Homelessness Response Team, reports 59% of action plan items complete

~ Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade has announced the formation of a new Citywide Homelessness Response Team, aimed at improving coordination and accountability across various city departments. This comes as the city reports that 59% of the 61 action items outlined in the Homelessness Response Action Plan have been completed, with another 25% currently underway.

The team will bring together 15 different city departments and divisions involved in homelessness response, including the Mayor's Office, Housing and Homelessness Response, Colorado Springs Police Department, Fire Department, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, Neighborhood Services, Municipal Court, Public Works, Mountain Metro Transit, Stormwater Enterprise, Planning, and the Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management.

According to Mayor Mobolade, "Homelessness touches nearly every part of our organization. Now we are bringing those responsibilities together with clearer ownership, stronger coordination and greater accountability for results." He also acknowledged that while progress has been made in addressing homelessness in the city, there is still much work to be done. The Homelessness Response Team aims to make existing government systems more effective while also investing in long-term solutions to reduce homelessness.

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The City also provided an update on its 2025-2030 Homelessness Response Action Plan. This five-year strategic plan was launched in November 2024 after extensive community input from residents, service providers, business owners, people experiencing homelessness and government agencies. It aims to address immediate impacts of homelessness on neighborhoods and businesses while also investing in longer-term strategies to help individuals move from homelessness to stable housing. The plan includes 61 action items across six strategic priorities - Enforcement & Cleanup; Street Outreach & Shelter; Homelessness Prevention; Employment; Housing & Supportive Services; and Collaborate & Inform.

During today's progress update on the plan's implementation, several completed actions were highlighted. These include expanding the Sit/Lie ordinance and strengthening enforcement and cleanup efforts; expanding the Homeless Operations Team (HOT) and restructuring operations to provide consistent coverage of the commercial business district six days a week; investing in the Downtown Clean & Safe pilot program; raising funds for winter shelter capacity and transitional housing; advancing affordable housing units in the development pipeline; completing a Housing Needs Assessment and securing state funding for a Housing Action Plan; and strengthening regional coordination through joint leadership of the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care with Pikes Peak United Way.

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Aimee Cox, chief housing and homelessness response officer, emphasized that the ultimate measure of this work will be whether fewer people are living unsheltered, whether individuals move out of homelessness more quickly and into stable housing, and whether residents see a more coordinated response from their City. She also expressed commitment to working alongside service providers, community partners, volunteers, funders, and everyone involved in this important work.

The Homelessness Response Team will meet regularly to share information, review procedures, establish common standards, and solve problems across departments. Its work includes improving coordination around encampment closures and outreach efforts while also developing more consistent data to measure results. Over the next year, the City aims to achieve measurable reductions in unsheltered homelessness, track how quickly individuals move through the homelessness response system and into housing, and develop shared performance standards with the Continuum of Care.

In conclusion, Mayor Mobolade's announcement of the new Citywide Homelessness Response Team highlights the city's ongoing efforts to address homelessness. With a focus on coordination and accountability across various departments, as well as continued collaboration with community partners, it is hoped that these initiatives will lead to tangible improvements in addressing homelessness in Colorado Springs.

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