“I’m tired of this whole thing,” said Pamela True. “But it’s been my community for 21 years, my family.” Ever since the COVID-induced moratorium on evictions ended, True — a senior citizen — has experienced bouts of homelessness, camping for months at a time with her chocolate lab to avoid leaving the area. “One of the most basic needs is to have shelter — a roof over your head. It affects everything, your work, your play, your self-esteem.”
She remembers a time when it wasn’t so difficult to find housing, even with a pet. Nowadays, she’s observed long-term rentals converted to short-term, houses sold to capitalize on gains and struggling youth returning home to live with their parents — all reducing the availability of reasonably priced rentals.
“Everybody says ‘just leave,’ but the problem is everywhere, though not to the degree it is here,” she admitted. “I was in the real estate industry for 20 years and owned apartment buildings and I have never seen anything like this.”
With help from Carbondale Homeless Assistance, True found short-term housing, but now that ends soon to welcome Airbnb guests. She is on lists for affordable housing opportunities but feels defeated. “I don’t know what to do,” she said. “This is my home.”
It’s a sentiment that’s becoming more common as Carbondale Homeless Assistance (CHA) reaches its 10th anniversary this November. “The growing contingency of almost-homeless is really staggering,” said Lynn Kirchner, owner of Amoré Realty. “And it’s frightening.”
Kirchner started CHA in 2014 after encountering a former client living out of a van on an especially cold November night. Having gone to a Mexican restaurant in the Sopris Shopping Center around Thanksgiving, Kirchner first recognized a dog at the laundromat, and then the dog’s owner. It was several degrees below zero, Kirchner said. They ordered an extra meal and delivered it to the old camper van, parked between Carbondale’s two hotels.
The encounter prompted Kirchner to make a Facebook post about assisting people experiencing homelessness which catalyzed a meeting that attracted some 150 people, Kirchner said. This turned into weekly meetings with a few dozen samaritans and the familiar client was eventually helped into senior housing in Glenwood Springs.
Since 2014, CHA has striven to help the “habitat challenged” meet their basic needs. Nowadays, needs are addressed on a case to case basis. Around a dozen people may be helped at a time, but CHA was unprepared for a situation like the one Carbondale faced last winter, with nearly 100 unhoused migrants needing help all at once.
Kirchner recently presented to the Carbondale Board of Trustees. Every year, the Town budgets $1,500 toward CHA. This year, CHA spent $1,700 right back at the Rec Center, providing more than 80 shower passes plus three memberships to people in need. Additional costs for CHA in 2024 included five hotel accommodations ($800), gift cards to City Market and Subway ($2,000) and other items like sleeping bags, warm socks and boots ($3,500).
“We still do a ton of education,” Kirchner said in a follow-up interview. “What is homelessness? How does it happen? How many do we have?” She continued, “Some of them have been homeless for a long, long time, and chose to be. Others, because of drugs, alcohol, circumstances beyond their control, are homeless.” Whether happenstance or self-inflicted, it can be an uphill battle to regain stability. Even in the absence of drugs and alcohol, it’s common for people to develop paranoia when experiencing homelessness and the associated social disconnection.
One success story Kirchner shared was of a man that got back on his feet after receiving a shower voucher from CHA which helped him land a job. He later wrote a thank-you note and made a donation. With the typical cost of getting into a place — first and last month’s rent, plus a security deposit — it’s a challenging investment for many to make. Among the small successes, CHA has also witnessed tragedy over the past decade, including three deaths — one due to a terminal illness and the other two men struck by cars.
Regarding the recent sexual assault in Carbondale, Kirchner said the perpetrator’s description doesn’t match any of the known people experiencing homelessness in the area, and CHA coordinates closely with the police department.
If you are experiencing homelessness and wish to receive help connecting with resources, contact CHA via the Facebook page: “Carbondale Homeless Assistance (CHA).”
Donations are also always welcome. People can make monetary contributions straight into CHA’s account at Alpine Bank, or consign items at Ragged Mountain Sports on behalf of CHA. Amoré Realty accepts quality gear and The Near New sometimes passes useful stuff directly along to CHA.
“We are blessed to have [CHA] helping a lot of people out,” True said. She welcomes any leads on a place to live, including work-trade situations involving landscape gardening, pets, horses, barnyard animals, housesitting and caregiving. “I’m quiet, I have good references and my dog is a sweetheart,” she said, offering her phone number: 970-309-7113.
Carbondale Homeless Assistance achieves 10 years
