Staff at The Inn Between of Longmont worked through frigid temperature and COVID-19 infections this month to find housing for the city’s homeless, including for an 18-year-old high school student working to create a new future for herself.
The 18-year-old had been sleeping in her car, then in a local hotel, Tim Rakow, executive director of The Inn Between of Longmont, said in an email. The woman was referred to the nonprofit by St. Vrain Valley School District.
She holds down a part-time job at a local fast-food restaurant and works about 25 hours a week, while attending school full time, Rakow said.
The woman is among a number of homeless young adults in the county. The 2020 Point in Time survey found there were 47 people younger than 25 not living with parents or children that were experiencing homelessness.
The Point in Time Count “is an unduplicated count of people experiencing literal homelessness on a single night in January,” according to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. “HUD defines literal homelessness as living in places not meant for habitation, shelter and some transitional housing programs. Persons at risk of becoming homeless (such as those staying with friends/family or paying to stay in a motel) are not included in this count.”
Rakow worked to get the woman a furnished two-bedroom apartment that she moved into this week, just before Christmas. Rakow handled the leasing arrangement himself because COVID-19 infections have cut into Inn Between staff.
Three staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 and another is quarantining because of exposure, he said. Rakow isn’t sure if the staff members were infected by residents at Inn Between, some of whom have tested positive over the past few months, despite ramped-up cleaning efforts.
“This week has been particularly rough on our staffing due to the COVID virus,” Rakow said.
Yet, he said he is grateful to provide help to the student and others who come to The In Between.
“I seldom manage the new leases, but this week I had the pleasure and the opportunity to get to know several new people moving in just before the holidays,” Rakow said. “It’s always good to be grounded as to why we do this challenging work and hear the stories of gratitude.”
“My heart goes out to the innocent kiddos that need and deserve a fighting chance to succeed,” Rakow said. “Thanks to the support of our community, donors and partners, I got to be Santa Claus and assure she has a safe place to live where she can hopefully thrive.”
Established in 1993, the organization provides affordable housing and support services for people facing homelessness in the St. Vrain Valley, according to its website. With their housing stabilized, residents can concentrate on long-term housing stability.
The nonprofit currently houses 180 people at any given time in six buildings in Longmont. There are some elderly/disabled residents but largely transitional housing is offered for a wide variety of people experiencing homelessness, Rakow said.
Most of the residents are referred from 16 partner agencies in Longmont and Boulder County, he said. Residents are offered training and advocacy support en route to new permanent housing, Rakow said.
The 18-year-old will eventually share the apartment with another young woman, who will be coming soon through another referral, Rakow said. Inn Between advocates will check in with the two during their stay.
The Inn Between traditionally houses up to four high school students at any given time with similar stories, he said. The woman pays no rent to The Inn Between as community donations are used to offset the expenses of housing her.
“Our community donations keep us up and running and provides help for our residents,” he said. “This young woman shows a lot of promise and she has a lot of hope for her future.”
Correction: Tim Rakow's name was misspelled in the original posting of this story
