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Left Behind in Lockdown: COVID-19 and the Denver Unhoused Community

The population experiencing homelessness in Denver, Colorado, increased by nearly 15% from 2018 to 2019. This trend, combined with the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020, led to a distinct crisis for unhoused communities. This research attempted to answer the question, “How has COVID-19 impacted the locational strategies and spatial patterns of the Denver unhoused population in relation to public spaces and resources in the city core?” More specifically, this research has three objectives: (1) To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the shelter availability in Denver, (2) to develop an understanding of COVID-19’s impact upon public restrooms in Denver, and (3) to conduct a spatial analysis of the “sweeps,” or the displacement of unhoused individuals’ outdoor tent encampments. Through interviews and spatial analysis, this work shows that fewer resources were available to unhoused individuals due to COVID-19, and displacement of encampments disconnected individuals from vital public spaces and resources. © 2022 Gamma Theta Upsilon.