• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
WRAP

WRAP

Western Regional Advocacy Project

  • Donate Now
  • Get Email Updates
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • 20 Years of Unhoused People Fighting for Dignity + Respect
    • 40 Years of Fighting
    • History
    • Mission
    • Strategy
    • Members
    • Board / Staff
  • Campaigns
    • Business Improvement Districts
    • House Keys Not Sweeps
      • TARGETED, BANISHED, DISPLACED & SWEPT
    • Legal Defense Clinics Project
    • Homeless Bill of Rights
    • Without Housing
    • Street Outreach
  • Organizing Tools
    • Without Housing Organizing Toolkit
    • Homeless Bill of Rights Campaign Manual
    • WRAP Organizers Manual
    • WRAP Artwork
  • Resources
    • Pipe Dreams and Picket Fences Report
    • Art in Action Power Point Slide Show
    • Hobos to Street People
    • House Keys Book
    • Political Education
    • Legal Research
  • Media
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • Hobos to Street People Art Show
    • Street Newspapers
    • Sweeps Gallery Videos
    • Videos
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Sustainer
    • Volunteer
    • Support WRAP
    • WRAP Newsletters & Updates Sign Up

Designated Outdoor Tent Sites Made Legal in Denver! IMPORTANT: Designated Spaces Do Not Make Criminalizing Everyone Else Ok Rights for All and Housing for All Must Be Supported at the Same Time

July 1, 2020 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

Today, the Mayor gave the go ahead to legalize Safe OutDoor Spaces (i.e. designated tent camp sites) in Denver! This was not something he wanted to do…but he finally announced approval to go ahead. This comes after 20 plus years of effort in Denver to make such spaces legal and real. The first Tent City effort in Denver was in 2000.

The need for a legal pathway for land to be used for people to survive in tents could not be more clear. As mass homelessness grows under COVID and people can’t afford rent, people have to live somewhere. SOS sites can provide critical space with the privacy of your own tent, necessary hygiene resources, and some basic stability of location. SOS sites should start to spread immediately across every city council district to even begin to meet the vast need!

We must be real. One, two, or even 10 of these sites will not be enough to meet the need and will not be an appropriate option for all. The Point in Time count was roughly 5,000 people homeless in Denver – this is of course a massive undercount and is also pre-pandemic. We are probably looking at at least 15,000 now. And 100K evictions right around the corner. To have enough SOS spaces for all these people is not likely to happen. Even to have enough sites for all those currently staying outside at least 10 or 20 one hundred person sites would probably be needed. Furthermore, large sites with lots of people, at certain locations, run by shelter providers with strict rules, or other constraints may not be what works for many people. Being real, we must recognize that supporting the creation of SOS sites also means supporting people living in non-designated encampments with the resources and stability they need.

DHOL Resurrection Tent City action back in 2016 while fighting for space and legalization

 

In the Mayor’s press release it states, “Starting this week, Mayor Hancock has directed city agencies to focus their efforts on guiding people living in neighborhood encampments scattered throughout downtown to motel rooms? Safe Outdoor Spaces and shelters.” To this we ask… How many more motel rooms have been added this week? We have been just under 700 COVID related for several months now. Are they adding over 2000? That’s the scale that would be needed to actually have this as an option to which the City can guide people. How many SOS sites are open this week? None, yet. And as noted above, even with over 10 large sites, this would not be enough or work for all. Are you really still trying to say you intend and will guide people to shelters?? Shelter spaces are about to decrease with the National Western shelter closing. Also, enclosed shelters breed COVID and have had recent incidents of murder.

The City will not get away with using the existence of some vitally needed SOS sites to further criminalize people living at other non-designated encampments. They will try to shame our economic refugees in every manner possible. People cannot be forced to go to certain sites like prisoners. We have basic rights that cannot be violated – Denver cannot criminalize people living on our streets for simply being homeless. People want housing. But no one can be forced to go places or criminalized for existing.

The City’s commitment in their press release to provide increased trash services, needle exchange, and outreach to existing encampments is a much needed and hopeful statement. We have already seen the City place trash cans at two encampments in the past few days, and await their placement at other camps around town. These services cannot be provided if encampments are being swept from block to block.

In closing we must make it clear that the creation of SOS sites, while vital in our immediate need, are not the final answer. Everyone deserves housing. Housing should not be a privilege for the rich and white. As we create immediate options for people to survive in tents now, the City must be creating attainable housing for all, starting NOW.

Contact:
info@denverhomelessoutloud.org
720-940-5291

Filed Under: Denver Homeless Out Loud, WRAP Members

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Footer

Instagram Feed

Urgent Help Needed Grants Pass is facing over 100 Urgent Help Needed 
Grants Pass is facing over 100F temperatures for the next 4 days Our homeless neighbors have no shelter, no shade & no water. Please help by donating bottled water or funds - we'll put every drop to good use! 
Venmo | Helen Cruz 
https://account.venmo.com/u/Helen-Cruz-30

Let's come together for those left in the heat, every bottle & dollar makes a difference
Community spirit and perspective and a cool organi Community spirit and perspective and a cool organizing training!
With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up all over the country, we must make sure our initiatives to fight them are informed by, come from and are supported by the people who are directly impacted!!! Street outreach is how we do this!
https://conta.cc/46GwXKG
Join WRAP on Tuesday, July 22 on zoom at 3pm pt | Join WRAP on Tuesday, July 22 on zoom at 3pm pt | 4 pm mt | 6 pm et for a training on the different methodologies, context and implementation of street outreach! There will be examples from WRAP members who represent organizations in different states who have been fighting back against criminalization and sweeps in their communities.
Accountable organizing through street outreach! 

With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up all over the country, we must make sure our initiatives to fight them are informed by, come from and are supported by the people who are directly impacted!!! 

Street outreach is how we do this! 

📣 WRAP : STREET OUTREACH TRAINING 
🗓️ Tuesday, July 22 | 🕒 3pm PT | 4pm MT | 6pm ET
🎟️ RSVP : bit.ly/wrapoutreach 
✉️ Contact joemae@wraphome.org for any questions

Read More: https://conta.cc/3ZXkCxS
Last year, on April 22nd, I stood with over 700 pe Last year, on April 22nd, I stood with over 700 people from around the country in front of the US Supreme Court demanding that the court focus on proven solutions to homelessness like housing, and not on things like handcuffs and jails that make homelessness worse. Months later, SCOTUS shamefully decided that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment and could be ticketed or arrested for simply sleeping outside. https://conta.cc/44m9rjl
The city continues to sneak in their sweeps of our The city continues to sneak in their sweeps of our friends and neighbors to nowhere. They sneak their sweeps in and hope those that care and give a sh&! against this violence won’t show up. We will do all we can to challenge this and won’t let the city block us from the community care they are afraid of.

Join us for a virtual gathering to learn how to show up, how to build community care. July 10th from 7-8:30pm. DM us for more info.

#sweepskill #fucksweeps #stopthesweeps #stoptheharrellhorrorshow #communitycare #showup
🏠Housing is a human right, and it is about time 🏠Housing is a human right, and it is about time our communities actually accept this!

On June 28th 2024, Grants Pass v Johnson was overturned (a case that had required cities to not criminalize the unhoused if adequate shelter was not provided by the city). On June 28th from 10am-12pm, we are asking our community to gather on the Missoula Courthouse lawn to show our city that we don’t support the ways they are criminalizing unhoused Missoulians. 📣

After the rally, from 12-2pm we will hear from various local organizations that are impacted and addressing this issue in our community. 🫂 From those working in the legal system to renters to mutual aid groups, our entire community is impacted by the overturning of Grants Pass v Johnson, the closure of the Johnson Street shelter, and the criminalization of unhoused Missoulians. Municipal elections are coming up this year and it is critical that we show city council where our priorities lie.
The Sovereign Roses Virtual Alumni Chapter invites The Sovereign Roses Virtual Alumni Chapter invites you to WRAP with the Roses! Learn more about the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP) and a potential Project I.M.P.A.C.T area we’re exploring. WRAP is dedicated to ending homelessness and poverty by uplifting the voices of those directly impacted and advocating for systemic change rooted in justice and equity.
Discover why WEE believe that partnering with WRAP is a powerful step toward making a real, sustainable difference in our communities.

📅 Date: June 30

🕔 Time: 5:52 PM CST

📍 Zoom:
Meeting ID: 98812438845
Code: 567524

🌐 Learn more about WRAP: www.wraphome.org (http://www.wraphome.org/)

Together, we can push for change, challenge injustice, and build impact that lasts. Don’t miss this opportunity to get informed and get involved!

#GammaSigmaSigma #ServiceSorority #SRVAC #WRAP #Projectimpact #GSS #SFE #ServiceFriendshipEquailty
June 28th marks the One Year Anniversary of the Su June 28th marks the One Year Anniversary of the Supreme Court making it illegal to be homeless. Join me in the fight to push back! Helen Cruz
June 28 4-7pm | Echo Park Lake, LA for more inform June 28 4-7pm | Echo Park Lake, LA
for more information: @lacanetwork_official
Instagram post 18073374346940611 Instagram post 18073374346940611
Follow on Instagram

Facebook Icon

Facebook Feed

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

This content isn't available right now

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
1 day ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Twitter Icon

Twitter Feed

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

YouTube icon

Youtube Code

Our Channel

Copyright © 2025 Western Regional Advocacy Project WRAP · Log in