First 100 Day Plan Asks Denver to “Do Better” for Its Homeless
Credit: Giles Clasen
By Robert Davis
Shortly after Mayor Michael Hancock was elected to his third term, Denver Homeless Out Loud published their First 100 Day Plan, calling on the mayor and City Council to work together to prove that Denver can “do better” for its most vulnerable residents as those who voted against Initiative 300 claimed.
On the campaign trail, Mayor Hancock derided the initiative as a short-term solution to a long-term problem, much to the dismay of people advocating for the rights of homeless people in the city.
“The massive opposition to Right to Survive boasted “We Can do Better.” Well, now it’s time to prove: indeed, we can do better,” Denver Homeless Out Loud said in a press release about the plan.
“Now is the time to fulfil the promises to meaningfully address and work towards solving the crisis of mass homelessness in the City and County of Denver”
The plan has three basic tenants: 1) Rights, Not Slights, 2) Services, Not Sweeps, and 3) Housing, Not Warehousing. Each component addresses a key area of need for the homeless community in Denver.
One central criticism of the Hancock administration is its creation and continued support for the Urban Camping Ban, which often is referred to as a “survival ban” by housing advocates. The ban makes it illegal to use “blankets, or any form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing” anywhere in the city of Denver.
“Everyone in this city knows we don’t have enough housing,” Benjamin Dunning of DHOL said. “Yet, our government continues to give us double-speak about their supposed support for building more housing. They talk about rental assistance and opening some shelters as if those are viable solutions.”
In the 2019 municipal elections, Denver voters overwhelmingly defeated Initiative 300, Also known as the Right to Survive bill, which would have given people experiencing homelessness basic rights to eat and sleep in public.
The 100 Day Plan asks for the city to deploy more medical and healthcare workers to homeless camps instead of sending police and public works employees to conduct sweeps.
“There is absolutely no need for a police officer to respond to non-criminal activity,” Dunning said. “If someone ran out of medicine, they don’t need someone with a loaded gun on their hip to be barking instructions at them. They need real help.”
And finally, the plan asks the city to take a serious look at the housing supply and ask itself why it claims to be pro-housing when its greatest rental market can barely afford to live in the county.
A recent report by Denver Urban Spectrum, a publication covering social and cultural issues in the city, found that 87 percent of renters receive less than $35,000 annually, making these individuals likely to suffer housing burdens.
Some reports suggest this phenomenon is a result of Denver’s focus on densification and transit-oriented development. Others decry the city’s focus on developing luxury living rather than focusing its efforts on housing its most vulnerable residents.
According to a market trends report by the Denver Metro Association of Realtors, home sales in the city are down 23 percent from last year. The number of unsold units in Denver reached 5,577, a 44.6 percent increase.
Denver City Auditor Timothy O’Brien recently published a report showing that “Denver Economic Development & Opportunity is not ensuring affordable housing is preserved, and involuntary displacement is prevented” by choosing not to enforce affordable housing violations and not evaluating the effectiveness of its programs.
“Mayor Hancock has told us that the Urban Camping Ban is simply a stick to push people toward the carrot of housing, but why would we need to do that if there was enough housing in the first place?” Dunning said.
DHOL admits there are some positive signs on the horizon, namely, that the progressive wing of City Council has shown signs that it is willing to be a check-and-balance against Mayor Hancock’s policies.
“We applaud our progressive members for calling out injustices when they see them, but that’s not enough. We also need people to pay attention and bring housing issues to City Council. The louder our voice is, the more likely they are to listen,” Dunning said. ■