On March 8th 2023 Housekeys Action Network Denver (HAND) will be releasing our report “Pipe dreams and Picket Fences: Direction from Denver’s Houseless People on Housing Needs and Priorities in the Context of Today’s Public Housing.” This report is from a survey of 828 houseless people in Denver which asked questions about people’s priorities for housing and experiences trying to access housing. The report couples this first of its kind housing direction survey from houseless people with new research we conducted with Denver University “Poverty and Community Economic Development class” on the state of public housing both nationally and in Denver. This research answers questions about how many public housing units were lost in the last 10 years, the fiscal trends in federal spending on housing over the past 10 years, and the use of housing vouchers.
The Housing survey and public housing research were developed by HAND together with Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP). The public housing research builds on WRAP’s work in “Without Housing” which documents the history of houselessness and the loss of public housing. It was 40 years ago that emergency shelters spread across the country and it was 40 years ago that funding for public housing was cut and never restored. Now more people are houseless than ever before and public housing continues to be privatized.
The Housing survey was conducted by HAND’s outreach team who are all houseless or recently houseless people. In addition to the survey, we held 4 community forums discussing the housing questions, and conducted 38 individual interviews. All together we gathered direction on housing from almost 1,000 houseless people in Denver! A record breaking number.
This report gives direction from houseless people on what the housing is we need to create: how much does housing need to cost, what should the processes be to secure housing, where should that housing be, what rules should be in place or not, and what supports are needed in housing. The findings from talking with almost 1000 houseless people reveal clear themes of common need and desire. As the report title “Pipedreams and Picket Fences” alludes, we hear a desire for quality homes and at the same time the sense that this is a “pipedream” out of reach. Houseless people make it clear in this survey what housing is desired and how close to impossible it is to get that housing.
This full over 100 page report will be released on March 8th 2023 at The Unitarian Society building at 1400 Lafayette St, Denver CO.
Doors open at 4:30pm, Presentation Starts at 5pm, Diner served at 6:30pm.
There will be Spanish translation and child care. Please let us know if you need any other accommodations to attend.
This release is taking place exactly one year from the day we started this housing survey on streets!
Onwards towards Rights, Dignity, and Housing…
