The first thing people ask me about being a Boulder High student is whether or not I am put in danger by Boulder’s unhoused community. Parents of prospective and current Panthers seem to hold an immense amount of fear over this issue, and their concerns are represented by the interests of many city council members. Driven by a high cost of living, as well as mental health factors and unemployment, homelessness is a crisis that many Boulder residents point their fingers at.
Whether it’s safety concerns on public transportation or anger about unusable park space, there is often tension around this part of Boulder’s community. With Boulder City Council elections taking place this November, many candidates are aligning themselves with strict enforcement towards unhoused individuals and less tolerance for the use of public space. However, Boulder High’s Unhoused Outreach Club is advocating for more compassion and nuance when it comes to this hot-topic issue.
Founded in January of 2025 by Rachel Tilton, ‘26, and Payton Allman, ‘26, the group began to better educate their peers on the issue of homelessness and connect students with the unhoused community. “One of our biggest focuses,” explains Allman, “ is making sure people understand why homelessness happens, and then [talking about] a lot of misconceptions.”
Allman and Tilton are proud of the work the club has done so far, with the highlights being creating valentines for unhoused individuals, giving destigmatization presentations, and organizing a clothing drive.
Still, the Unhoused Outreach Club recognizes the importance of policy. It seeks to play a role in placing leaders who prioritize the needs of the unhoused community in positions of power. “We understand that it’s a systematic issue,” continues Allman, “that has more to do with policy.” After analyzing the city council candidates, the presidents of the Outreach Club explained that there was a clear divide among them regarding the enforcement of an encampment ban. While some city council candidates believe that the encampment ban must be enforced in order to maintain Boulder’s communal spaces, others believe that enforcement without appropriate resources for the displaced people is unethical.
In an effort to demonstrate “sympathy and empathy” with unhoused communities, the club noted that they generally supported candidates who oppose enforcement when there is no space at All Roads Shelter, Boulder’s local homeless shelter. Tilton explains that they appreciated candidates who “are more concerned about the people in general and less about how [Boulder] looks.” Tilton and Allman believe that it is unfair to displace people without giving them a place to go and are decidedly “anti-camping ban.”
However, although multiple candidates stood against the enforcement of the camping ban, the Unhoused Outreach Club decided to endorse two: Maxwell Lord and Rachel Rose Isaacson. “Maxwell Lord,” says Tilton, “identifies homelessness as one of the main issues that the Boulder community is facing.” She says they chose to endorse Lord because he has made homelessness one of the central parts of his campaign. Rachel Rose Isaacson was endorsed because she was “more focused on long-term solutions.”
When it comes to the Boulder High community, the Unhoused Outreach club wants students to get involved in any way they can. “Being part of organizations and joining clubs and stuff like that can just show that you care, and that’s the first step in making any real change in our community,” says Tilton, “People who aren’t homeless need to play a part.”
Unhoused Outreach Club wants to make a difference through their endorsement of Lord and Isaacson, and intends to continue spearheading various initiatives that improve the lives of Boulder’s unhoused and strengthen their connection to the Boulder community. This group demonstrates the ability of students to not only get involved but to make meaningful change in a world where youth voices often aren’t heard.
