The City is planning a sweep of all the encampments from 20th to 23rd, from Welton to Curtis – there are about 300 people without housing living at these encampments. We are in a State of Emergency with a deadly pandemic spreading across our nation… And THIS is how our Mayor treats people living on our streets who can’t afford his mile high rent.
You Can’t “Stay at Home” when Your Tent is Being Swept: The sweep is scheduled for April 30th. The stay-at-home order has just been extended to May 8th. How are people living in tents at these encampments supposed to “stay at home” when the closest thing they have to a home, their tent, is being evicted from public space with nowhere to go?
CDC guidance says Sweeps should NOT take place UNLESS INDIVIDUAL HOUSING is AVAILABLE for all at the encampment: The CDC guidance clearly states the following,
“Unless individual housing units are available, do not clear encampments during community spread of COVID-19. Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/unsheltered-homelessness.html
Where are the 300 housing units for residents of these encampments???
As of yesterday there were 95 tents in the area planned to be swept. There are between 1 and 5 people staying in each tent, meaning there are about 300 people living outside in this area. In order to follow CDC guidance, stay-at-home orders, and care about human beings, individual housing (i.e. vacant apartments or hotel rooms) must be provided to every person in these encampments before they can be swept. Either housing needs to be given for all 300 people or the sweep needs to be called off.
Action Items
Call and Email the Mayor NOW to demand HOUSING NOT SWEEPS
720-865-9000 https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/mayors-office/contact-the-mayor.html
Call and Email the Mayor NOW to demand HOUSING NOT SWEEPS
720-865-9000 https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/mayors-office/contact-the-mayor.html
Email City Council and ask for their help https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-city-council/council-members.html
(sample letter attached)
Email Governor Polis to demand his intervention
Governorpolis@state.co.us
(sample letter attached)
Contact:
info@denverhomelessoutloud.org
720-940-5291
info@denverhomelessoutloud.org
720-940-5291
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