Denver, CO. Lawyers Submit Letter to Denver Concerning Ongoing Violations in Sweeps

Today, September 21st 2022, lawyers from Kilmore, Lane, and Newman, submitted a letter to the the City of Denver regarding ongoing violations of the Lyall vs Denver settlement agreement regarding sweeps of encampments where houseless people live. The letter lists 12 sweeps that have taken place in the last 6 months without the required 7 day notice. It also lists 17 instances where individuals’ property was trashed in sweeps instead of the required storage. And it also lists 3 instances where houseless people were not able to retrieve their property from storage due to mismanagement of the storage facility. 

The letter also names that “once a posted sweep is completed, the crew involved in that sweep will roam the city seeking out other encampments (that have not been posted for a sweep) to harass the encampment” which often involves more seizure of property. 

It goes on to describe how “Denver employees and city contractors claim that the Lyall settlement no longer applies and that city contractors do not need to follow its requirements” – a blatant lie apparently being spread by higher City officials.

Lastly the letter describes how “on multiple occasions, Denver officials and contractors assaulted unhoused individuals and advocates, or threatened unhoused individuals and advocates with assault.” 

The letter asks that city officials and their contractors be trained on the Lyall agreement and furthermore that action be taken to stop these continued violations, bullying, and abuse by city officials and city contractors. 

These blatant violations of the lawsuit agreement are not going unnoticed. Lawyer’s have notified the City that if these actions continue, legal action will be necessary. This treatment of houseless people and their property as trash cannot continue.