By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette
Amid a homeless crisis plaguing Colorado’s most populated city, a county just south of Denver claims to have found an effective solution to curbing homelessness in its communities.
In a campaign to mitigate homelessness, Douglas County officials emphasized one simple message: “Handouts don’t help.” They urged residents, for example, against giving money to homeless people on roadways or sidewalks.
From 2022 to 2024, Douglas County witnessed a steep drop in homeless people living on the streets, from 43 to six, according to a recent point-in-time count report conducted by several local third party nonprofits.