Tough Love: A Real Solution to Fort Collins' Homelessness Crisis

As a candidate for mayor of Fort Collins and a former police officer who has spent years on the front lines dealing with homelessness, I've seen firsthand the devastating impact this issue has on our community, our families, and those struggling on the streets. Homelessness isn't just a statistic—it's a human tragedy that affects public safety, local businesses, and the quality of life we all cherish in this vibrant city. But throwing more taxpayer dollars at the problem without accountability isn't the answer. We need a "tough love" approach: compassion paired with firm enforcement, personal responsibility, and proven strategies that actually end the cycle of homelessness rather than perpetuate it.

The Current State: Well-Intentioned Efforts Falling Short

Fort Collins has invested significantly in addressing homelessness, focusing on funding community partners rather than direct city services. Key programs include case management for coordinated support, diversion to avoid shelter entry, prevention initiatives, rapid rehousing with short-term rental aid, permanent supportive housing, emergency sheltering, and street outreach through organizations like Outreach Fort Collins.(1) In 2022, the city allocated $2,279,511 across these efforts, with breakdowns such as $667,201 for prevention, $664,226 for sheltering, and $355,581 for case management.(2) This funding comes from a mix of federal grants, local resources, and one-time boosts like the $2.6 million HOME-ARP allocation in 2023 for housing and supportive services.(3) For 2025-2026, the city's adopted budget includes $20.6 million in 2025 for Neighborhood & Community Vitality, encompassing affordable housing, human services, and homelessness support, with specific offers like Homelessness Core and Priorities.(4) Outreach Fort Collins alone had a 2024 budget of $775,175, largely from government sources.(5)

Per-person spending is even more eye-opening: estimates range from $38,000 to $95,000 annually per homeless individual, covering emergency shelters, services, and related costs.(6)(2) While these investments have yielded some positives—such as Homeward Alliance helping about 1,000 people escape homelessness from 2016-2021, and quarterly housing of around 49 chronically homeless individuals—the overall impact remains limited.(7) Enrollment in programs has risen, from 1,730 in Q1 2021 to 2,995 in Q1 2022, but the 2022 Point-in-Time count showed 39% of unsheltered individuals as chronically homeless, indicating persistent challenges.(8)(1) Fort Collins has housed 42% of its chronically homeless since 2022, mitigating rapid growth compared to other areas, but the problem hasn't been solved.(6)

Why Endless Spending Isn't the Solution—and May Be Making It Worse

Despite these efforts, our approach risks attracting more out-of-town homeless individuals without meaningfully reducing local homelessness. Fort Collins has been dubbed the "Mecca of Homelessness" by some in the community due to its generous services, which can draw people from surrounding areas seeking support.(9) This isn't unique to us; cities with robust programs often see influxes that strain resources further. High per-person costs suggest inefficiency, and while data tracking has improved via the Homeless Management Information System, root causes like mental health and substance use aren't being addressed aggressively enough.(1)(10)

We can't simply spend our way out of this with taxpayer money. The city's overall 2025 budget is $693.3 million, and diverting more to unproven expansions burdens residents without guaranteed results.(11) This mirrors a national issue: well-meaning programs can enable dependency rather than foster self-sufficiency, leading to cycles of waste.

Lessons from Other Cities: Billions Spent, Problems Persist

Look at major cities that have poured fortunes into similar "compassion-first" models, only to see homelessness worsen. California spent $24 billion on homelessness since 2019, yet the population increased by 30,000 in that period.(12) Audits revealed the state and cities like San Jose and San Diego failed to track spending or outcomes effectively, leading to unreliable metrics and wasted funds.(13) In Los Angeles, billions have been allocated, but a recent audit found it impossible to track due to outsourcing and poor data collection, with nearly half of a $1.3 billion budget going unspent in one fiscal year.(14)(15) San Francisco, despite massive investments, has a homelessness rate nearly 20 times higher than cities like Houston, with high unsheltered populations persisting.(16)

Seattle and other West Coast hubs face similar issues: generous services attract out-of-towners, encampments proliferate, and costs for responses like evictions run into millions annually—$8.5 million in San Jose alone for one year.(17)(18) These examples show that unchecked spending without accountability doesn't work; it often exacerbates the problem by drawing more people without resolving underlying issues.

Experience-Driven Leadership for Real Change

As a former cop, I've arrested and interacted with homeless individuals countless times—not out of cruelty, but to protect our community and encourage paths to recovery. I know the difference between helping and enabling. If elected mayor, I'll implement a strategy that balances empathy with enforcement:

• Enforce Laws Fairly: Crack down on illegal camping, panhandling, and public nuisances to restore safety in parks and downtown, while directing people to services.

• Prioritize Accountability in Programs: Tie funding to measurable outcomes, like job placement and sobriety milestones, rather than endless handouts. Expand mandatory rehab and mental health interventions.

• Regional Partnerships Without Attracting More: Work with Larimer County and neighboring areas to share burdens, but avoid becoming a regional magnet by limiting non-resident access to services.

• Innovate with Proven Models: Draw from successes like Houston's focus on housing-first with strict oversight, adapting it with enforcement to fit Fort Collins.

• Protect Taxpayers: Audit all spending for efficiency, redirecting savings to prevention for at-risk locals, like veterans and families.

  
  

My street-level experience gives me the insight to lead this change—I've seen what works and what doesn't. Voters deserve a mayor who won't waste your money but will deliver results.

Vote for Tough Love, Vote for Fort Collins

Homelessness demands action, not more of the same. With smart leadership we can make Fort Collins safer, more compassionate, and fiscally responsible. Join me in building a city where everyone has a chance to thrive. Vote for real solutions—vote for me as your next mayor.

Jeffrey Shumway

References

Note: References are listed in the order of first appearance in the article for easy tying to inline citations.

1. City of Fort Collins. (n.d.). Homelessness || Social Sustainability. https://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/homelessness

2. Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. (2023, September 19). Just the Facts. https://fortcollinschamber.com/19982-2/

3. City of Fort Collins. (n.d.). Resilient Recovery Plan [PDF]. https://www.fcgov.com/recovery/files/annual-resilient-recovery-report.pdf

4. City of Fort Collins. (n.d.). Executive Summary [PDF]. https://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/files/conplan-public-review-draft-new.pdf

5. Outreach Fort Collins. (2025). Outreach Fort Collins 2024 Year in Review [PDF]. https://outreachfortcollins.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/OFC_2024-YIR_Final_web.pdf

6. Common Sense Institute. (n.d.). Homelessness in Fort Collins. https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/housing-and-our-community/homelessness-in-fort-collins

7. Homeward Alliance. (n.d.). HWA - Homeward Alliance - Survive | Move Forward | Thrive. https://www.homewardalliance.org/

8. Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. (2024, January 30). Colorado State of Homelessness Report 2023 [PDF]. https://www.coloradocoalition.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/2023%2520StateOfHomelessness_CCH_F_0.pdf

9. Reddit. (2022, July 8). Does Fort Collins have a 'homeless problem?' Help us define the .... https://www.reddit.com/r/FortCollins/comments/vudbrf/does_fort_collins_have_a_homeless_problem_help_us/

10. Fort Collins Rescue Mission. (n.d.). Homelessness in Northern Colorado. https://fortcollinsrescuemission.org/what-we-do/homelessness-in-our-city/

11. Coloradoan. (2022, September 23). Here's what Fort Collins is (and isn't) funding in its 2023-24 budget. https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2022/09/23/heres-what-fort-collins-is-and-isnt-funding-in-its-2023-2024-budget/69487804007/

12. Hoover Institution. (2024, July 19). Despite California Spending $24 Billion On It Since 2019 .... https://www.hoover.org/research/despite-california-spending-24-billion-it-2019-homelessness-increased-what-happened

13. CalMatters. (2024, April 9). Audit: California fails to track its homelessness spending, outcomes. https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/04/california-homelessness-spending/

14. LAist. (2024, April 9). California Fails To Track Its Homelessness Spending, Outcomes .... https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-fails-to-track-its-homelessness-spending-outcomes-says-new-audit

15. Los Angeles Times. (2024, April 9). California spent billions on homelessness without tracking if it worked. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-09/state-audit-california-fails-to-track-homeless-spending-billions-dollars

16. National Health Care for the Homeless Council. (n.d.). The State of Homelessness in America [PDF]. https://www.nhipdata.org/local/upload/file/The-State-of-Homelessness-in-America.pdf

17. Hoover Institution. (2019, June 18). The Economics Of Why Homelessness Worsens As Governments .... https://www.hoover.org/research/economics-why-homelessness-worsens-governments-spend-even-more-problem

18. KQED. (2024, April 9). California's $20 Billion Effort to Combat Homelessness Fails to Curb .... https://www.kqed.org/news/11982237/california-audit-questions-state-homelessness-spending-san-jose

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