Opinion: Let former Stay Inn become homeless housing like Fusion Studios
At a recent city meeting about the conversion of the DoubleTree Hotel into homeless housing, a neighbor wanted assurances it would not become “another Fusion Studios.”. Fusion Studios is the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless property where I live. It is permanent supportive housing. I pay 30% of my income for rent and receive services such as case management and mental health care.
Read full storyOpinion: Some of the 300 Denver homeless deaths this year occurred among the housed
Advocates for the homeless read the names Thursday of more than 300 unhoused people who died in Denver during the past year. The event, sponsored by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, decorated the steps of the City and County Building. Several hundred people gathered.
Read full storyTemperature threshold for Denver homeless warming centers may be raised
Despite some concerns by a handful of council members, the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the Denver City Council Wednesday advanced to the full council a proposal to open warming centers when the temperature hits 32 degrees. A companion ordinance outlaws encampment sweeps in temperatures below 32 degrees. Sweeps still could occur for matters of right-of-way clearance and/or public health, just not in temperatures of 32 degrees or below.
Read full storyMigrant homeless encampment on Zuni 'hitting a breaking point,' advocate says
A migrant homeless encampment outside a Quality Inn in Denver also hosting migrants continues to grow, serving as an example of broken dreams in America. “We’re really hitting a breaking point,” homeless advocate Amy Beck warned. “We need some action. We need a safe camping zone. Give us a place where people can go because what’s going on at Zuni is not sustainable.”
Read full storyOpinion: Cash gift of $20 brightened my holiday during homelessness
Every year during holiday week, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver opens its doors to people experiencing homelessness for an evening. In addition to providing an inspiring service, church officials pass out $20 bills to everyone in attendance.
Read full storyFuture of homeless services in Aurora looks bleak
Ever since the city of Aurora announced there would be less money for homeless services this year due to a reduction in marijuana tax revenue, the futures of the non-profits has been uncertain. Those futures remain uncertain, said council member Alison Coombs. The City Council rejected her plan Monday to make up the difference with American Rescue Plan Act funds and instead moved further discussion of the grants to a February workshop. Coombs said that means the non-profits will find out too late in the game whether they need to gear up to provide certain services, for example.
Read full storyDenver spends $50 million on homeless services in one meeting
The City and County of Denver spent another $50 million Monday on paving a road home for people experiencing homelessness. As part of his House1000 plan, Mayor Mike Johnston wants to move 1,000 unhoused neighbors indoors by the end of the year. The contracts approved Monday help him do that and, according to city documents, include:
Read full storyOpinion: Limiting Denver homeless shelter stays to 90 days is a bad idea
For some time now, news people have been trying to figure out if the Denver mayor’s House1000 plan is some kind of numbers game. Turns out, it kind of was. Denverite shined a light in a story about how the mayor’s office was counting people brought into shelter (not housing, which implies permanency). It did not include how many later exited shelter or to where. The piece led to the mayor’s office creating major changes to the online homeless dashboard. The dashboard shows that just under 600 people have been housed as part of House1000.
Read full storyVideo urges end to homeless sweeps in cold Denver weather
Housekeys Action Network Denver, a homeless advocacy group, has created a video where they interview people experiencing homelessness who have been told to move along during cold weather sweeps.
Read full storyFentanyl: Deadly smuggling in Denver and abroad
People swallowing bags of fentanyl while fleeing police are dying in Denver. A man died recently after a run-in with police at Fusion Studios, 3737 Quebec, the apartment building where I live. The man, who was dating the girl down the hall from me, swallowed a bag of fentanyl upon learning the police were on his trail, his girlfriend said.
Read full storyDenver steps up investment in Venezuelan migrants
Denver is stepping up its investment in housing Denver’s thousands of migrants who have arrived from the southern border. The City Council on Monday will consider purchasing an Embassy Suites Hotel on Hampden Avenue which will be used to house families. The purchase price is $21 million. “Through negotiations with the buyer, it was determined it was in the city’s best interest to acquire the hotel for immediate occupancy with the intent to sell to a redevelopment partner in the next three to five years,” according to a summary given to council. “The city would work through a request for proposals process to sell to an affordable housing development partner and recoup its investment in the building.”
Read full storyHomeless hotel residents from domestic violence shelter fear return to Denver streets
Former residents of the Rodeway Inn homeless hotel, which the city’s housing authority closed earlier this year, fear they may be returning to the streets, according to a homeless advocacy group.
Read full storyHomeless hotels 'redlining' Denver District 8, resident alleges
A handful of residents of Denver City Council district 8 told the council Monday that they don’t appreciate having all the homeless hotels located there. One woman referred to it as "redlining" the district.
Read full storySweep homeless camps in cold weather, residents tell Denver council
Although most people who have spoken at City Council meetings during the past couple of weeks have been encouaraging the council to stop homeless sweeps in cold weather, a few on Monday said the sweeps must go on, even in frigid temperatures.
Read full storyDon’t militarize Denver police, council members say
Several members of the Denver City Council made it clear Monday that they don’t want the police department to have a “blank check” for purchasing “civil disturbance equipment.”
Read full storyHoliday gift ideas for Denver's migrants
The City and County of Denver is sponsoring a holiday gift drive for migrant children. Gifts can be purchased for infants, children, and teens. Wish lists include:. Infants: Blankets, warm hats, warm clothes/pajamas, handheld toys/rattles, blocks, balls, teething toys, play mat, stuffed animals, board books (Spanish or bilingual) and unscented lotions or diaper creams.
Read full storyOpinion: 419 migrants pour into Denver so far this weekend: Why my heart breaks for them
When I write about the migrants from Venezuela, it doesn’t take long for the mean comments to pile up. But the migrants aren’t going anywhere. In fact, a near record-setting 419 migrants streamed into Denver Friday and Saturday alone, according to the city’s online migrant dashboard. The city is sheltering more than 3,000 migrants in non-city buildings, such as hotels and motels, according to the dashboard. Thirty-five are sheltered in city buildings. And growing numbers of migrants are sleeping on the streets, according to city officials.
Read full storyDenver parks to order restrooms totaling $10M as homeless have nowhere to go
The Denver Parks department wants to order $10 million worth of prefabricated toilets with drinking fountains. It’s good news for people experiencing homelessness who struggle to find toilets in the city. A survey conducted in September for Housekeys Action Network Denver by Regis University and the University of Denver describes how 82% of people did not have access to a restroom within two blocks of their encampment. More than two-thirds did not have access to drinking water within two blocks. The researchers interviewed 193 people experiencing homelessness in Denver and held five focus groups from 2020 to 2023. The group mapped 271 fountains and public toilets in Denver.
Read full storyBranding plan will toot horn of revitalized 16th Street Mall in Denver
A Denver City Council committee awarded a $1.2 million contract Wednesday for developing a marketing plan to spread the news of the nearly completed 16th Street Mall revitalization.
Read full storyCommittee approves Denver homeless hotel contracts for $5.2M for Bayaud, St. Francis
Bayaud Enterprises and St. Francis Center are the latest non-profits set to win multi-million contracts to provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness. A contract with Bayaud for $2.1 million through June 2024 was discussed Wednesday at the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the Denver City Council. Bayaud would provide services to homeless guests staying at the former Radisson, 4849 Bannock. The contract requires Bayaud:
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