Family homelessness is growing in Denver, but some fixes to the winter shelter system are coming

As family homelessness rises in Denver, the city’s housing department is making changes to how it provides winter shelter for parents and their children.

The goal: to ensure Denver families can come in from the cold quickly — a pressing issue for the hundreds of unhoused families waitlisted for shelter over the past year.

Over the past year, Denverite has investigated cracks in the winter family shelter system.

An understaffed Salvation Army-run crisis hotline was overburdened with voice messages. People waited through cold nights for somebody to call them back. Families living in cars were deprioritized over those living outside and found themselves waiting for weeks for city help.

Now, the city is promising changes.

“We are making improvements to ensure Denver families have access t