SAN LUIS VALLEY — The annual San Luis homeless count conducted by La Puente finds that homelessness in the San Luis Valley is five times the statewide rate, as found through the local Point-in-Time (PIT) Count on Jan. 28. 

The PIT Count is an annual nationwide effort aimed at estimating the number of homeless individuals on a single day. This year, the focus was specifically on unsheltered homelessness, and over 550 individuals in the San Luis Valley community were identified as living without shelter.  

A dedicated team of more than 20 professionals and trained volunteers made a coordinated effort to document the region’s unsheltered homeless, tabling at frequented community resource centers and conducting street outreach to locate homeless individuals in remote areas.  

In the San Luis Valley, those experiencing unsheltered homelessness had a range of living situations; camping, living out of a vehicle, sleeping in alleyways, or squatting in abandoned buildings. One individual, with permission, dug and covered a trench in his friend’s yard to seek refuge from the bitter winds. Another individual was sleeping in a rented storage unit, the only accommodation she could afford. None had access to electricity, plumbing, or other basic utilities.  

An unexpected finding from the PIT Count was the widespread occurrence of homelessness across all six counties in the Valley. 

“Homelessness is not just centered in Alamosa, which is the typical assumption. We need to be aware that even our next-door neighbors and friends might be dealing with lack of adequate shelter,” says Christina Bolt-Saulnier, Director of La Puente’s Street Outreach program.  

The local PIT Count identified 169 individuals who were unsheltered in Saguache County, 143 in Costilla, 100 in Conejos, 98 in Alamosa, 47 in Rio Grande, and one in Mineral.  

Among the participants who agreed to be surveyed, the majority were originally from the San Luis Valley and call it “home.” The second-highest majority of participants had moved to the Valley housed and became homeless within the past three years here. It was noteworthy that over one-third of recorded participants were female, 57 were Veterans, and over 150 had a physical disability or chronic health concern.  

These numbers don’t capture the full picture of homelessness in the San Luis Valley. For example, the Alamosa count does not include those staying at the local shelter, which on average provides lodging for 45-60 individuals nightly. Moreover, many individuals, wary of strangers and having their personal information documented, were hesitant to complete a written survey. Due to the vast geography of the Valley, some areas were inaccessible or missed entirely. To improve future counts, more involvement from local community leaders — trusted figures to vulnerable populations — could encourage greater participation and provide a more accurate picture of homelessness. 

One hopeful takeaway from the PIT Count was how communities across the San Luis Valley are actively supporting their neighbors. 

“I was chatting with a local postwoman in a northern region of the Valley, and she shared that when residents faced struggles with rent or utilities, community members would often pull together resources to help them stay in their homes. I was inspired by this compassionate response,” Bolt-Saulnier shared, following up by saying that simply being aware of our neighbor’s needs is the first place to start. However, she added, “not every community has the resources to support all the needs.”  

La Puente welcomes everyone to direct unsheltered neighbors to Street Outreach, a program of La Puente, which strives to meet the immediate needs of those living without shelter while also providing case management to work toward stability. Street Outreach can be reached by text/call to their warmline at 719-588-4566. 

Over the past year, Street Outreach has expanded their services beyond Alamosa to also connect with homeless individuals in Monte Vista and Center. Later this Spring, they will have regular outreach visits to Ft. Garland and Blanca.  

If you are interested in either donating survival supplies or joining one of Street Outreach’s distribution days, please contact Bolt-Saulnier at director.streetoutreach@lapuente.net.