Sanctioned Camping Areas For Denver Homeless Is An Idea Being Considered

DENVER (CBS4) - Tensions are escalating between the City of Denver and homeless advocates who want Mayor Michael Hancock's administration to do more than clean up or sweep through a growing number of camps popping up in the city. A large group opposing the approach to the homeless problem marched through City Hall and chanted outside the mayor's scheduled update on the city's response to COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Despite that clash, Hancock said during the event that the cleanups must continue.

"The bottom line is they have become a public health threat, and we are going to have to clean them up," he said.

Advocates argue the approach offers only a short-term fix, and are calling for more long term solutions. One idea is to allow for sanctioned camping in a designated safe outdoor space. Dr. Kathleen Vanvoorhis with the Interfaith Alliance says she and a number of other organizations took the proposal to the mayor when COVID-19 started to peak in Colorado, but no movement was made on the idea.

"Temporary safe spaces where people can camp, where we can ensure they can be safe, healthy and secure and where we can bring in resources," she said.

Vanvoorhis says the outdoor space would allow for better adherence to CDC guidelines for social distancing and health standards. It would address the public health concerns the city is having to respond to and appeal to those who have avoided accessing expanded shelter options.

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"Being able to provide more space for health reasons but it would also provide them with their own personal area so they are not held indoors in a facility they are given the freedom they want in those areas as long as they are maintaining those health checks," she said.

She says after extensive outreach the response from those currently living on the street was positive.

Divine Qourters who has built a hom, complete with a sofa and television on 22nd and Stout Streets, says part of getting back on your feet is having somewhere to call home -- and having a safe space to avoid threats of removal would be a step in the right direction.

"Part of getting back on your feet is knowing what it's like to have a home even if you're on 12 feet of sidewalk," Qourters said.

When asked about the idea on Wednesday the mayor said, "We are looking at all the options right now, where in the nation have these sanctioned camps worked and how they might work here in Denver? We are looking at it."