Dear Mr. Homeless Service Provider, 
Dear Mrs. Homeless Shelter Director, and 
Dear Denver Post, Westword, CBS, 9news, and Fox News.

Stop propagating the myth that weed is the reason for increased homeless populations
in Denver. You’re not doing anyone any good.
I know, you want everyone to think that homeless people are deficient and drug
addicted. And even though weed is legal in Colorado, it is quite convenient for you to
describe unsheltered people as stoners as a way to continue to blame poor people for
being poor. Like systems that perpetuate poverty, your explanation doesn't challenge
anything. It just reinforces prejudice and the egocentrism of privilege and power.
You see, if everyone who lives on the streets of Denver is here because weed is legal,
well, I guess that means that it's their own choice to be here, because they choose to
smoke weed (or so your logic goes), and I guess it's their choice to be homeless,
because homelessness is a choice (or so your logic goes), and I don't have to think any
harder about reality, I can just go home, drink my beer and smoke my own substances
in the privacy of my own home, and think about how much better I am than homeless
people.

Ok, ok, so I'll admit, some people who are poor moved here because weed was
legalized. It's true. Some came thinking they could get a job in the weed industry (only
to find out you have to be a Colorado resident for over a year to get a job in a
dispensary). Others came because they smoke for medicinal reasons, and didn't want
to risk going to jail just so they could get some relief. But that's not the full story.
Do you remember any recent history? Like the ‘80's, when the federal low income
housing budget got slashed from $83 billion dollars to just $13 billion in 5 years (1978-
1983). What happened next? Homelessness tripled in size, and more emergency
shelters opened in that decade than any other. And then, funny thing, Reagan - who helped slash the housing budget - gets on air and introduces the 'homeless by choice'
narrative that everyone seems to love.

Then, 30 years later, the housing budget is roughly half of what it was in 1978 ($45
Billion), and Denver has a huge housing problem and a large homeless population. The
Metro Denver Homeless Initiative's annual Point In Time Survey- which admits it is
always an undercount- counted over 11 thousand unsheltered people in Denver in
2013. Then every start up tech company and their brother decides to move here. And
then voters choose to legalize weed.

Then what happens? According to the Denver Post, "Metro Denver rents zoom up 13.1
percent" in one year, meaning, poor people who lived here prior to the weed/tech boom
are at greater risk of becoming homeless because more and more people are cost
burdened by rent. According to HUD (the federal housing authority), "Families who pay
more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and
may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and
medical care." According to math--a person who makes minimum wage and works full
time in Denver makes $1280 a month before taxes. And according to the
rentjungle.com, and google, "As of October, 2014, average apartment rent within 10
miles of Denver, CO is $1553. One bedroom apartments in Denver rent for $1244 a
month on average and two bedroom apartment rent averages $1625." Meaning, to rent
an average-rent apartment while working full time at an entry-level job, you would have
to pay 97.1% of your income to rent, and that would only be possible if you got paid
under the table and didn't pay any taxes.

So, yuppies, rich potheads and 'entrepreneurs'* from New Jersey and Brooklyn moved
here to make some cash and Denver's gov'mnt did nothing to ensure that rent would
still be affordable. So, we saw an increase in 'homelessness' in Denver. That's the real
story--rich people drove up the rent, and poor people here became worse off.
But it's easier to just say that homeless people are lazy stoners who 'choose to be
homeless in Denver', so that’s what you report.
Now may I ask a favor of you? If you aren't going to tell the whole story, please shut up.
Sincerely,
Beu
*'entrepreneurs'--a word only used by boring jerks who are neither innovative or creative

The store sits dark, desolate
The store that used to be Nate's Crown Liquors that is
A store from a bygone era, standing apart from its sleek, modern neighbors
It's upstanding neighbors that got it shut down
The new neighbors, the recent businesses that are compatible
with the people drawn to First Fridays
Yeah, economic development, that's the ticket!
Besides, they were concerned about how Nate's preyed on homeless people
They said so. Preying on those poor, hopeless, helpless, homeless people
How commendable! Such compassion!
In testimony after testimony they poured their hearts out for the homeless
The ones Nate's preyed on; how could Nate's be so cold hearted?!!
Testimony after testimony
Almost cookie cutter
Be quiet my cynical mind
These were good upstanding citizens concerned about the less fortunate
They said so
One after the other they said so
Yet what are these other voices I hear?
Nate's other neighbors
The ones who sing Nate's praises,
talk about how Nate's is an asset to the neighborhood
How helpful and friendly the people at Nate's are
How they keep the area neat and tidy and don't put up with no nonsense
The people who might be aging or blind or a minority
How that doesn't matter to the people at Nate's -- they are helpful
Good selection of beer, wines, and spirits
And help people select just the right one
Don't these people see how cold hearted Nate's is?
How it preys on the helpless? The homeless?The forces of good have triumphed
The good upstanding people who got Nate's shut down
I guess those poor, helpless, homeless people have been saved
Nate's will no longer prey on them
And all of Denver's social ills have been solved
The store sits dark, desolate

(Editor’s Note: After hearings at which people spoke for and against Nate’s Crown
Liquors--a long-time fixture at 11th and Santa Fe--the City’s Department of Excise and
Licenses denied the renewal of Nate’s liquor license, causing the store to close. Many
supporters believed the closing of Nate’s was a classic example of gentrification.)

In 2013 the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative reported that in the Denver Metro area
there were 11,167 people who do not have a place to call home. And even they admit
that the count is always low.
To assist these people, Denver Homeless Out Loud is working to create or help create
what is being called an "Urban Rest Stop." What is an Urban Rest Stop?
If we omit the word urban from this, we simply have rest stops.
Growing up, as we went to my grandmother's house and other places, we would see
rest areas or rest stops. At these locations we could stop and use the rest room, get a
drink, and stretch a bit. We were able to be refreshed.
Urban Rest Stops are similar in that there is some refreshing involved.
Anyone who spends two days living in public spaces will quickly learn of the vast lack of
public places to use a toilet or shower. Furthermore, you will soon find that there are
very few places where you can store your belongings while walking about town, looking
for work, etc. And I can count the locations where people experiencing homelessness
can do their laundry on one hand. Even at that, these places are not usually open
during the evening.
At the Urban Rest Stops in Seattle, there are showers, laundry facilities, and rest rooms
available. The largest one is open seven days a week--from 5:30am to 9:30pm Monday
through Friday.
What we are speaking of here is allowing people experiencing homelessness the ability
to shower and shave at times that are convenient to them. You will hear that there are
already showers available in Denver, but most facilities that have showers close their
showers at or before 1pm. This doesn't allow for those who have day time or evening
jobs to shower at the end of their work day.
We plan to have ADA accessible showers available for men, women, and trans-gender
individuals throughout the evening, possibly as late as midnight.
We would also have rest rooms available so that people experiencing homelessness
will have access to appropriate facilities. The alley is not the place for those activities,
but currently what other options are there?
We would have laundry facilities there. There are only a handful of locations that
currently provide this service. We would have washers and dryers available where
people could wash their clothing and bedding. We would also provide the laundry soap
and other products needed for this.
As I have conversations with people who are or have been homeless, one complaint is
the lack of essential hygiene items. Some of the items mentioned are tooth brushes,
deodorant, and razors. The Urban Rest Stop would have hygiene products available, to
help alleviate this problem.
And with the storage option available, people using our facility would not have to carry
their clothes away with them. Their clothing, personal hygiene items, and other
belongings could be stored on site.The facility would be managed and maintained by paid staff and volunteers. Our aim is
to be able to hire people who are unhoused, which will provide them with the means to
improve their lives.
This all takes money, and a great deal of effort. Even if we start with a small facility we
will need to fund it somehow. We are in the process of looking for grants in order to
create and maintain this project.
Whatever it costs, we want people in Denver who are experiencing homelessness to be
able to take care of themselves. We know that hygiene is just as important as health,
and want to take a stand to see that these very basic needs of our most vulnerable
citizens are taken care of in a respectful manner. We believe that it is the responsibility
of society to do this and also that it is simply the right thing to do.
Do you think Urban Rest Stops are needed in Denver? What has been your experience
in trying to take care of your basic needs without having housing? Write and let us
know! (See the back page for ways to get in touch with us.)

The ongoing homeless “Issues” here in Denver, and in Colorado overall, are, by no
stretch of the imagination, a direct result of the poor judgment on the part of the City,
County, and State Governments, or a general lack of any kind of compassion for our
fellow human beings. Above all else, Denver’s “solutions” for homelessness simply
Don’t Work. (The mayor’s ten year plan to end homelessness is in its ninth year.) 

Tick, Tick, Tick.

A ridiculous tendency in Denver is to turn to criminalizing people living on the streets.
This approach includes extreme tactics that typically discriminate against homeless
people by making it illegal to carry out daily activities in public. (Violating constitutional,
civil, and human rights, I might add.) They go as far as prohibiting everyday behavior
such as sleeping/camping, sitting, eating, and begging in some public spaces, usually
including some sort of criminal penalties for violations of these laws.
Never mind the fact that there is no “real” affordable housing, or the lack of shelter
space. The City of Denver has chosen to criminally punish people living on the street for
doing what human beings must do to survive. In other words they are criminals simply
because they are here.
     Criminalization is by far the most expensive and least effective way of dealing with
homelessness. Real cost-effective solutions are needed, not some ineffective,
inappropriate and insane measures that waste time and taxpayer dollars. Punishing
homeless people for conducting necessary activities will ultimately do nothing but hurt
the whole community. Criminalization measures are costly and deplete our public
resources. Criminalization does not deal with the real causes of homelessness but only
worsens the problem.
     Using the police to arrest homeless people is simply not a solution. Ultimately, arrested
homeless people go back to their communities, still homeless and with even more
financial burdens that they cannot deal with. Criminal convictions, even for minor
crimes, only create more barriers to receiving public benefits, employment, or housing, making homelessness even more difficult to escape. There are far more sensible, costeffective,
and humane solutions to homelessness.
     Many of the ordinances appear to have the purpose of moving the homeless people out
of sight, out of mind, or even out of the city. These laws are passed under some
ridiculously mistaken idea that using law enforcement to remove homeless people from
Denver’s business and tourist districts is the best method for improving the area’s
economic health. “R-O-N-G”
     In Denver, money that could be, and in my opinion, should be used to provide new and
accessible solutions that will work is far too often spent on more police, and more
ridiculous City and County ordinances that only criminalize and discriminate against
Denver’s large population of the homeless. Criminalizing homelessness just propels the
homeless into a cycle of the street, jail, and, back to the street. When it’s all said and
done the homeless will still be here and still be homeless.
      Criminalization measures only answer to discriminatory stereotypes that conclude that
people that live in poverty are lazy, irresponsible, dishonest, drug addicted, alcoholics,
and even criminal. But, we don’t ever talk about Mom popping sedatives because ever
since little Johnny was diagnosed with the latest flavor of A.D.D. Dad can’t handle him
unless he washes down a Quaalude with his favorite brand of scotch.
One-third of homeless individuals found in homeless shelters have a chronic substance
abuse problem and one-quarter face severe mental illness.
These facts simply show that those who face these challenges only represent a minority
of the homeless population overall.

Only 40% - 60% of panhandlers are homeless. (That simply means that the other 40%-
60% of panhandlers are housed individuals.)

Let’s look at some of the effects of criminalization.

The personal effects:
    Many times when a homeless person is harassed/detained/cited or arrested their
property becomes lost in the shuffle. Things like cell phones, clothes, IDs and social
security cards end up lost or worse, thrown away. These valuable items are time
consuming and expensive to replace--time and money that homeless people just don’t
have. These costs put a burden on local and state government agencies, which in turn
also affects the economy.
     If, or better put, when an individual is cited, and misses his/her court date, a warrant is
issued, which only puts increased burdens on the economy. The homeless are often blamed for the crime downtown. Not some of the crime, mind
you, but, “the crime.” Typically the homeless in the Metro Denver area are not thugs,
muggers, murderers or rapists. The shoe is often on the other foot, when it comes to
violence in the downtown area.
     Criminalization and discrimination only promote fear in the general public. This fear will
then give rise to hate. The homeless are all too often attacked, beaten or worse, just for
the fact of being homeless.  The homeless are blamed for downtown businesses failing. Can anyone really prove that their business failed because of the homeless? Sounds like a very convenient excuse. If you’re a bad business person and can’t keep your business afloat or you start  another coffee shop on the mall, thinking you’re going to be the best damn coffee shop
on the 16th Street Mall. Well, you’re an idiot and your business is going to fail. (Fur lined
sinks just don’t sell folks.)
     The homeless are often viewed as a threat to the “public health and safety” of the
downtown area. Such lies and distortions of the truth, along with the discrimination and
fear, produced by local politicians and business owners, promote the homeless as the
scapegoat for all the evils and problems in the Denver downtown area.
The homeless have to eat. They have to sleep. The homeless have human bodily
functions like everyone else. Criminalization and discrimination of the homeless only
make the daily difficulties of surviving on the streets of Denver that much more
demoralizing and inhuman.  The so called “public safety” concerns often cause the social exclusion of the homeless.

The social effects:
Warning people against giving money or food to panhandlers only creates fear of the
homeless in the general public. This false fear promotes discrimination of the homeless.
Criminalization and discrimination makes these fears appear to be real.
     The homeless that are arrested for “Quality of Life” crimes have even less accessibility
to jobs. Potential employers don’t want to put the homeless to work because of a police
record. Previous employers lose any trust in the homeless that can’t show up to work
because of incarceration.
      The incarcerated homeless person faces issues of violence, overcrowding, abuse, and
disease. This only adds to economical and social costs upon release.
The levels of animosity and lack of trust toward police and other officials will no doubt
be magnified. A much better plan would be to develop programs that would reduce
criminalization and animosity along with reducing the overall numbers of the homeless. Then the police and other officials would be much more productive and effective without
violating anyone’s civil or human rights.

The political effects:
Most of the Denver Police’s actions, whether allowed by their superiors or not, could
very well be in direct violation of the United States Constitution.
 Panhandling: Freedom of speech: The First Amendment.
 Seizure and/or destruction of personal property: Unreasonable search and
seizure: The Fourth Amendment.
 Sleep and other necessary activities: Cruel and unusual punishment: The Eighth
Amendment.
 Discriminatory enforcement: Equal protection: The Fourteenth Amendment.
The economic effects:
The amount of tax dollars used to detain the homeless for “Quality of Life” crimes will no
doubt increase. Ordinances that criminalize the homeless just make the problems of
homelessness worse. It is far more expensive to arrest and detain a homeless person
then it is to house that same person. 

Where is the logic? 

In the spring of 2012, the City and County of Denver put in place an Urban Camping
Ban. I've called it a blanket ban before, due to the fact that the ordinance says that a
person cannot cover himself with a blanket, tarp, or other item. Truthfully, I have no idea
what they were thinking when they did this. They tried to claim that it was for the safety
of individuals experiencing homelessness, but that just doesn't add up.
After the Urban Camping Ban was in place a group of activists formed called Denver
Homeless Out Loud. Their first project was something known as the Camping Ban
Report. It can be read online at denverhomelessoutloud.org. Over 500 individuals
experiencing homelessness were surveyed for this project. The results showed that
because of the ban individuals were camping in less safe areas, further away from
downtown and other locations where police regularly patrol. It was also found that some
individuals were not using blankets so that they would be in compliance with the new
ordinance.

Some members of the general public would like to believe that every individual who
finds himself without a home should simply go to a shelter. However, even if the "shelter
life" was agreeable with everyone, there simply isn't enough room in the existing
shelters to house the homeless population that we have here in Denver and the
surrounding areas. To make matters even less pleasant, a 24 hour rest and resource
center was promised at the time that the camping ban passed. This new facility may be
helpful, if it ever comes to fruition, but currently there is little to no information that
suggests this facility will ever open.
There is talk of ending homelessness. Many counties, if not all of them, have put in
place ten year plans to end homelessness. Denver’s ten year plan, initiated in 2005, is
close to reaching the ten year mark. Yet, far from having disappeared, homelessness
seems to be increasing in our area. So the question is: Is anything being done these
days that has any chance of ending or at least sharply curtailing homelessness in the
Denver metro area in the future? The answer is yes.

Through the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, weekly meetings are held for the
purpose of ending homelessness. In fact, representatives of more than 20 provider
organizations from a seven-county region attend in an effort to bring this nightmare to
an end. We have a plan and we keep adjusting it together in order to make it work
better--but there are hurdles.During these meetings we brainstorm about ideas that will help us to be more successful in our efforts to house our most vulnerable citizens. We discuss the new
tools that have been developed to assess people's needs. Right now we are specifically
targeting people who require permanent supportive housing, but within the next 100
days we plan to look into how to add rapid rehousing programs to our efforts.
Issues we are addressing include the lack of communication among agencies, and the
need for more case management and housing navigation. We are also studying how to
construct systems and methods that are sustainable for the long haul. Information
systems are being overhauled in order to make them more usable today--and to be
capable of dealing with whatever homeless issues we might be facing down the road.
One of the toughest hurdles we have had to overcome is the lack of housing. Even
when a voucher is issued, if the client is unable to find housing it's a waste of
everyone's time. Oh, there are apartments out there. However, the rents on most of
them are over the limits set by HUD. There are also many property managers who are
unwilling to accept HUD vouchers.

In an effort to find available housing, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative has contracted
with Brothers Redevelopment as their landlord recruitment campaign consultant for the
entire Denver Metro area. Everyone involved is hopeful that this new effort will lead to
more housing being available to people who have been given vouchers.
Personally, I believe that we will always need some shelters and other programs in
place for people to access when financial issues occur and they slip into homelessness.
This isn't really about being able to shut down every homeless shelter in the Continuum
of Care. However, I would like to think that with some effort we might have enough room
in the shelters to house all of the people experiencing homelessness for a short time. It
also seems reasonable to think that if we have a much smaller homeless population that
the length of time that someone is homeless would be considerably shorter, like two
weeks instead of four or ten years.

This effort to end homelessness is far from perfect. The truth is that we are still building
the program. It takes time. It also requires that we look at the system honestly so that
we know where adjustments need to be made. And adjustments are being made every
week as we continue to improve the way we do things. There are still aspects of this
effort that aren't in place yet, but that doesn't mean that the effort isn't there.

Another hurdle that exists is the fact that not every provider is on board with this effort
yet. That, too, is being worked on. Letters and emails are being sent out constantly to
invite more providers to the table. A lot of effort is going into creating methods by which
the whole community can learn what is working and what isn't working. I believe that
once more providers see what is working we will have an even greater team than we
already do. And as more providers get on board, more can be accomplished.Denver Metro isn't alone in this. Every major city in America has had to deal with
growing numbers of people experiencing homelessness. However, in our area,
providers and other key players are finally working together region-wide to bring the
numbers down and to provide housing to our community's most vulnerable. It excites
me to see what is taking place right now.