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Shelter Contract Is Extended As Denver Homeless Camps Grow

DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver City Council approved a resolution Monday to extend its contract with the National Western Complex. It houses an auxiliary shelter setup at the beginning of the pandemic for men experiencing homelessness.

The amendment to the license agreement allows for use of the complex until July 15, but the city said Monday it was in discussions to utilize the facility beyond the set date.

National Western Complex
(credit: CBS)

"We cannot wind that facility down without other options in place, or we're going to see much more camping than we're currently seeing," said Cathy Alderman, Vice President of Communication and Public Policy for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

Alderman says the Coalition is one of the groups actively discussing rehousing strategies with the city. She said the National Western Complex, while successful, has demonstrated there is a need greater than what they are treating.

Travis Leiker, Board President for the Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods Association, believes the auxiliary shelters are a good step, but haven't done much for the growing camps around side streets and larger streets like 13th and 14th Avenues.

"My sense is that those who are experiencing homelessness might be afraid to seek shelter because of the global health pandemic."

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Alderman believes that could be part of it. After a recent test, it appears the spread of COVID-19 is less among homeless outside.

"So we tested 50 individuals that were living in an encampment in downtown Denver and we had zero positive results," she said.

Aldreman says the problem? While the spread of COVID-19 may be less of a threat, there are many other, serious threats to those living on the streets.

"We need to help these encampments to continue to be safe spaces and make sure there is access to sanitation and supplies, but we should always have our eye focused on the long term solution to homelessness which is going to be more housing options for more people," she said.

In addition to the pandemic, recent protests and a lack of homeless sweeps have pushed camps into more visible spaces.

"I think that we're seeing more people outside right now because they are in more visible places where as before I think they were more inclined to hide or to be in places where they maybe couldn't be found, and with the shutdown of the city, those became, I think you know some of our more crowded places. So I think one of the concerns we have is as we start to see a reopening how is our community going to respond to the fact that there may not be more people camping outside? They're just more visible right now."

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(credit: CBS)

The city says the last time it asked homeless to move temporarily was in May, but has not conducted any recent sweeps. As of Monday, it had no plans to do so.

Leiker says the neighborhood association didn't believe the sweeps were helpful and like Alderman hopes long term solutions include a more comprehensive, permanent approach.

The city says it also plans to extend services at the Denver Coliseum, its auxiliary shelter for women. Since it owns the facility it will only have to pay for services. The total to extend both shelters to July 15 is just over $5 million.

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