City committed to 'safety,' 'compassion' following City Park death

Amid rising safety complaints focused on homeless and transient individuals in Northern Colorado, homeless advocacy groups recognize they're fighting a battle over public perception.

In light of the allegations brought Thursday against Jeffrey Scott Etheridge, a 27-year-old transient man and registered sex offender, accused of sexually assaulting and killing Heather "Helena" Hoffmann, Fort Collins groups are staying committed to those they serve.

But their missions will again be tested, as numerous Fort Collins residents lashed out regarding transient interactions on Facebook in the wake of Etheridge's arrest. Many commenters on the Coloradoan's story expressed fear and frustration about transient individuals in the city.

Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry said he's grateful for the work Fort Collins Police Services is leading with its investigation into "a tragedy for the family and friends of Helena, and for our entire community."

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He noted in a statement that criminal activity can occur among any demographic.

"The homeless/transient population is as diverse as any population, and there is not a one size fits all solution to tackling the challenges associated with this difficult issue," he wrote.

The city and Fort Collins Police Services aim to keep Fort Collins one of the safest communities in the nation, Atteberry added.

"The city and its partners will continue to develop compassionate responses to assist those experiencing homelessness in our community," he said. "Maintaining a safe community for all who live here is a priority, and the city will continue to work with local and regional partners to develop strategic approaches to safety concerns."

David Rout, executive director of Homeless Gear, said in a statement on Thursday that his thoughts are with the Hoffmann family.

"I think it goes without saying that this man does not represent the population of people who are homeless — or any population — but right now, we are as horrified as everyone else is by this tragedy," he wrote.

Map:Transient complaints spreading across Fort Collins

One of the aspects of addressing homelessness nonprofit groups have grappled with is differentiating between the city's transient and homeless populations.

While some nonprofit agencies provide resources to anyone who need them, others have worked on better defining the different types of homelessness in communities and the services different groups can receive.

Nationally, about 80 percent of individuals who become homeless find shelter within approximately one week, 10 percent are episodically homeless and 10 percent are chronically homeless, said Vanessa Fenley, coordinator for Northern Colorado's Coordinated Assessment and Housing Placement System.

Fenley said those statistics refer more to the duration of homelessness, rather than providing a distinction between a homeless individual who remains in one community and a transient individual who travels between places.

Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith has often cited the increase in homeless and transient people in Northern Colorado as the cause of the jail's overcrowding issues.

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Outreach Fort Collins, a nonprofit in Fort Collins that aims to address and de-escalate disruptive behaviors downtown, is working with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office to better track how much of a strain residents from outside Larimer County are placing on the jail.

Still, Outreach Fort Collins Director Nick Verni-Lau isn't support of cutting local resources that some believe draw transient individuals to Fort Collins, he said in a previous interview.

"When it's a question of services, is the answer eliminating those services or adjusting those services?" Verni-Lau asked. "I think we're in the middle of adjusting those services.''

Rout echoed those sentiments in a previous interview, saying his agency works to provide services to both short- and long-term residents, though it is continuously working to adjust them.

Reporter Kevin Duggan contributed to this story.

You can follow Reporter Saja Hindi on Twitter at twitter.com/BySajaHindi or email her at shindi@coloradoan.com.

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