City counts 36 being sheltered

Unsheltered HUD count called off due to the coronavirus

While COVID-19 kept Loveland from counting its homeless campers this year, Alison Hade of the city’s Community Partnership Office said three dozen people were being sheltered by outside agencies Monday, the day the count was scheduled.

Salvation Army, Alternatives to Violence and House of Neighborly Service’s Angel House program together provided shelter for 36, including family members and lone individuals.

Loveland’s point-in-time count is done annually to comply with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements and on odd-numbered years focuses on the unsheltered.

However, with HUD advising that communities limit the sort of in-person sur veying done in 2019, when 91 campers were counted on the streets of Loveland, Hade opted to call and email the administrators of local sheltering programs asking for data instead.

“A lot of places across the countr y are saying it’s not a good year to do that,” Hade said of the originally scheduled unsheltered count.

The city does not of fer a regular overnight shelter, but some nonprofits offer resources independently — for families, in the case of Angel House; those fleeing domestic abuse, in the case of Alternatives to Violence; and individuals, including COVID-19 sufferers, in the case of Salvation Army. The groups sheltered five, seven and 24 people, respectively.

Hade said the numbers could not be used to estimate the number of homeless campers currently in Loveland, but added more people were sheltering than she anticipated.

“It was because of the work of Salvation Army,” she said. “They’ve provided the most sheltering for non-families this winter, and they’re our go-to for people who need to quarantine.”

On nights where temperatures are expected to dip below zero degrees or the National Weather Service issues a “Severe Wind Chill” or “Severe Winter Storm Advisory,” the city coordinates emergency shelter with 137 Homeless Connection, motels and participating churches.

Emergency shelter was last offered Feb. 11-15 — between nine and 12 people sheltered nightly at 137 during the winter storm that brought subzero cold and snow.

Max Levy: 970-699-5404, mlevy@prairiemountainmedia.com