LOCAL STORY CREDIT: GILES CLASEN 2021 POINT-IN-TIME SURVEY EXPECTED TO REVEAL RAVAGES OF PANDEMIC BY DOUG HRDLICKA THE ANNUAL POINT-IN-TIME (PIT) count is set to take place at the end of January, and many wait with bated breath to see the impact the past year has had on people experiencing homelessness, as well as the strain on services for the upcoming year. The 2020 PIT count revealed that 6,104 people were experiencing some form of homelessness at any given time. It was the latest number in an increasing statistic, yet only telling of pre-pandemic life. Projections predict the severe cost-burdened population will double by 2022. And to make matters worse, on August 28, the unemployment trust entered a state of insolvency and is estimated to remain there until 2026, while Colorado borrows from the federal government to pay out its current claims. The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Status Report of 2020 reported that “Benefits will continue to be paid through loans from the Federal Unemployment Account after the UITF becomes insolvent. Those federal loans are interestfree through 2020—no determination has been made as to whether the interest deferral will continue beyond that.” The last far-reaching catastrophe this alarming was the Great Recession of 2008. The PIT count documented more than 8,000 people experienced some form of housing insecurity. During that time, many homes were foreclosed, 10 DENVER VOICE January 2021 and the job market yielded few opportunities. There are similarities between the two catastrophic events regarding housing and unemployment, but in the past, the City of Denver was able to launch construction projects to offset the backlash. Colorado has used many of its funds to offset depleted trusts and provide healthcare initiatives and short-term housing, among countless other programs, all while revenue streams from small businesses have been cut off. Last March, Gov. Polis issued several executive orders to help curb the fallout and slow the spread of the virus. One of the most talked-about is the eviction suspension moratorium. The order protects renters who have been culled from the workforce and whose unemployment benefits fall short of financial demands. As of December 31, 2020, all measures protecting tenants from evictions will have lifted, and the New Year could mark the beginning of 26,112 evictions that were filed in 2020. But it is difficult to say whether or not these evictions are a true representation of the renter landscape, considering the freeze. To help understand and offer guidance on how to proceed, Gov. Polis formed the Special Eviction Prevention Task Force made up of people with diverse backgrounds. “Eviction filings are slightly lower than they were during the Great Recession. Colorado eviction filings peaked between July 2008 and 2009 at 55,000 annually—or nearly 4,600 per month,” the Special Task Force reported. Between August 26 and Nov. 28, the Task Force set out to estimate just how critical the housing situation is. Once it is disbanded, the Task Force will be absorbed by the Department of Housing. During non-pandemic times, the renter population for Colorado is 760,000, the study reported. Of these, 150,000 are cost-burdened and pay 50 percent or more towards living; one-third of whom face evictions each year. The renters most affected are those who have historically been pushed to the fringes, such as low-income families and communities of color. According to the Task Force, “Models based on unemployment predictions and cost burden suggest that between 150,000 and 230,000 Colorado households could be at risk of eviction by December 31, 2020.” By January 2021, the cost-burdened population is estimated to reach 360,000. With influenza and COVID-19 in full swing, the strain of services and aid could reach a critical point. “As of October 2, 2020, Colorado’s new Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) has served 1,192 households, with nearly $2.5 million of assistance provided. The Department of Housing (DOH) estimates that current funding dedicated to the EHAP program will run out in late December 2020,” the Task Force reported. After the report was completed, the Task Force offered short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to mitigate against mass evictions. They recommended another eviction moratorium and to increase funds for rent relief, late fees, and interest forgiveness. “The primary purpose of regulatory intervention in landlord/tenant laws is to mitigate the most extreme consequence of housing instability—housing displacement that leads to homelessness,” the Task Force reported. ■
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