North Fort Collins: social services at the urban frontier

Abstract

Many of Fort Collins’ social services – food banks, homeless shelters, and public health centers – are located in North Fort Collins, in areas previously removed from the city’s major population center. Now, due to the city’s rapid growth, these areas are becoming urbanized, with higher-density development encroaching on existing social service locations. This new dynamic raises questions about whether Fort Collins’ social services have - due to either economic or social forces - felt pressure to relocate even farther from the city center. This research uses a combination of GIS data mapping and qualitative interview analysis to provide insight into these issues.