DENVER (KDVR) — Homelessness has increased by 58% in the Denver metro area over the last 7 years, according to an analysis by the Common Sense Institute.

It’s a top concern for Denverites and was officially declared an emergency shortly after the new mayor Mike Johnson took office.

Since then, the city has been creating micro-communities and converting hotels to create housing options as part of the mayor’s plan to house 1,000 people by the end of the year.

According to the Common Sense Institute of Colorado’s report, there are thousands of people in need of shelter in the area.

There are 9,065 people experiencing homelessness in the Metro area, and 2,763 of them are without shelter.

That is a 58% increase, according to the report which says there were 5,728 experiencing homelessness in 2016.

Homeless counts are growing more rapidly in the Denver metro in the most recent year.

In 2022, there were 6,684 people experiencing homelessness in the area. That’s only a 10% increase from 2020 when the number was at 6,104.

From 2022 to 2023, there was a 35% increase in people experiencing homelessness.

For comparison, CSI also looked at the whole state.

Across Colorado, there were 10,550 people experiencing homelessness in 2016. Now, that number is at 12,483, an 18% increase. The report noted that number is likely higher, as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s yearly Point in Time count was done in January.

Additionally, the amount of people who are chronically homeless has more than doubled in the last year. In 2022, 1,123 people were considered chronically homeless, and that number sits at 2,991 in 2023.

The amount of unhoused minors in the metro area is also increasing rapidly. According to the report, there were 1,383 unhoused minors counted in 2023, a 73% increase from 2022.

As of Friday, Denver has housed 208 people toward the 1,000 goal.