The report highlighted in this blog post is part of the Colorado Children’s Campaign Kids in Focus series, which elevates data and research to inform the policy conversation about kids and families in Colorado.
Every child deserves a safe and stable home. Kids without stable housing have a harder time showing up to school, staying healthy, and reaching self-sufficiency in adulthood.
Yet many kids in Colorado do not have a stable place to live. By one estimate, nearly 23,000 public school students were experiencing some form of housing instability in the 2023-24 school year – a 28% increase from the year prior.
Rising Needs, Limited Resources: Homelessness and Colorado’s Children brings attention to the growing issue of children experiencing homelessness in Colorado, who are often overlooked in our services, systems, and conversations surrounding homelessness.
Children most commonly experience homelessness because their family cannot afford housing. In 2025, Colorado was ranked the 10th least affordable state in the country for renters. About 28% of Colorado households with children experienced financial hardship in 2023. These families often struggle to find and keep safe, affordable housing – both because of wages that fail to keep up rising costs and limited affordable housing options.
Unfortunately, very few state programs are designed to meet the unique needs of children and families experiencing homelessness. Many emergency shelters don’t accept children and rental support programs often are under-resourced and over capacity.
Our new report highlights this challenge and points to a path forward. By addressing the root cause of homelessness for most families – difficulty affording housing – and expanding targeted supports for children and families, our community can help make sure every child has a place to call home.
