By John Wayne Claybaugh
In the spring of last year, the city and county of Denver created an ordinance that made it illegal to ‘camp’ on private and public property in the city and county of Denver. It is illegal to cover one's self with a blanket or any other article during the night or day, even if one is sitting in a park in the rain during the day.
As we look at the numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness, we can look at the "Point in Time Study" sponsored by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. This report stated that over 10,000 homeless individuals live in our city. In an effort to house them there are barely over 1000 emergency shelter beds available. These emergency shelter beds are seasonally complemented by a few hundred more in the winter months—still way below the need, so where should a person who is experiencing homelessness sleep?
There are some who pay for their own hotel rooms or get hotel vouchers from various providers, yet this solution doesn't work for everyone. Some do find space in shelters. There are still many people who feel like their only choice is to sleep outside.
Because of the camping ban the police are waking people in the middle of the night. In the summer of 2012 I might have been told to move no less than four times during the night. The police said they didn't care where I went; I just needed to go somewhere else.
When the ordinance was first spoken of there were promises of more services becoming available and that the police would assist people in finding shelter for the night. Overall, this hasn't happened. While there are a few more beds, mats, and cots available now than before, there still aren't enough. And as for police helping people to find shelters, in the six times I was approached by police since the camping ban, I was never offered services. Also, there's the fact that some people do not feel safe in shelters.
As evidence of the lack of adequate shelter beds, during the recent cold weather in early December, Denver Rescue Mission (meaning the Lawrence shelter) filled their dorm, both chapels, the hallways, and the dining room. The mats were so close together that you couldn't roll over without being on top of the next guy. Plus they don't have mats for that space and may or may not have blankets. (Last year I slept in the dining room once. I was given one or two sheets, that's it. Thankfully I carried a blanket with me at the time and slept on that.)
A few downtown businesses who initially supported the camping ban have issued statements saying that they now believe it is a disservice to the homeless population. The camping ban criminalizes sleeping, which is obviously a basic human need. For our government to say that it is illegal for a homeless individual to find an out of the way place to sleep at night is inhumane. People should be allowed to sleep all night without being disturbed.
In addition to the fact that the camping ban makes it more difficult for people to get rest at night, we often forget that the ban also makes it more difficult for homeless people to rest at all during the day. On a chilly day, what does a person do? The day shelters are full. A homeless individual may want to take a nap. The reasons for desiring a nap are plentiful. Maybe they didn't "get in" the night before and only got a few hours of sleep on a bus. Maybe they've worked long hours and simply need a break. Maybe they have been ill. A person who has a house or an apartment can simply lay down on a couch or a bed, but someone who is living without a home cannot do such a thing. There are libraries and other public spaces available, but these locations require patrons to at least stay awake.
This is what Denver has become. It is now illegal to protect yourself from the cold by covering with a blanket or tarp. The message that the city has sent to the homeless community is, "We don't really like you and we want to pretend your problems don't exist."
I hope that, even with all the regulations the city has put in place that directly affect the homeless community, all of you can stay warm through the rest of the winter.
In the spring of last year, the city and county of Denver created an ordinance that made it illegal to ‘camp’ on private and public property in the city and county of Denver. It is illegal to cover one's self with a blanket or any other article during the night or day, even if one is sitting in a park in the rain during the day.
As we look at the numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness, we can look at the "Point in Time Study" sponsored by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. This report stated that over 10,000 homeless individuals live in our city. In an effort to house them there are barely over 1000 emergency shelter beds available. These emergency shelter beds are seasonally complemented by a few hundred more in the winter months—still way below the need, so where should a person who is experiencing homelessness sleep?
There are some who pay for their own hotel rooms or get hotel vouchers from various providers, yet this solution doesn't work for everyone. Some do find space in shelters. There are still many people who feel like their only choice is to sleep outside.
Because of the camping ban the police are waking people in the middle of the night. In the summer of 2012 I might have been told to move no less than four times during the night. The police said they didn't care where I went; I just needed to go somewhere else.
When the ordinance was first spoken of there were promises of more services becoming available and that the police would assist people in finding shelter for the night. Overall, this hasn't happened. While there are a few more beds, mats, and cots available now than before, there still aren't enough. And as for police helping people to find shelters, in the six times I was approached by police since the camping ban, I was never offered services. Also, there's the fact that some people do not feel safe in shelters.
As evidence of the lack of adequate shelter beds, during the recent cold weather in early December, Denver Rescue Mission (meaning the Lawrence shelter) filled their dorm, both chapels, the hallways, and the dining room. The mats were so close together that you couldn't roll over without being on top of the next guy. Plus they don't have mats for that space and may or may not have blankets. (Last year I slept in the dining room once. I was given one or two sheets, that's it. Thankfully I carried a blanket with me at the time and slept on that.)
A few downtown businesses who initially supported the camping ban have issued statements saying that they now believe it is a disservice to the homeless population. The camping ban criminalizes sleeping, which is obviously a basic human need. For our government to say that it is illegal for a homeless individual to find an out of the way place to sleep at night is inhumane. People should be allowed to sleep all night without being disturbed.
In addition to the fact that the camping ban makes it more difficult for people to get rest at night, we often forget that the ban also makes it more difficult for homeless people to rest at all during the day. On a chilly day, what does a person do? The day shelters are full. A homeless individual may want to take a nap. The reasons for desiring a nap are plentiful. Maybe they didn't "get in" the night before and only got a few hours of sleep on a bus. Maybe they've worked long hours and simply need a break. Maybe they have been ill. A person who has a house or an apartment can simply lay down on a couch or a bed, but someone who is living without a home cannot do such a thing. There are libraries and other public spaces available, but these locations require patrons to at least stay awake.
This is what Denver has become. It is now illegal to protect yourself from the cold by covering with a blanket or tarp. The message that the city has sent to the homeless community is, "We don't really like you and we want to pretend your problems don't exist."
I hope that, even with all the regulations the city has put in place that directly affect the homeless community, all of you can stay warm through the rest of the winter.
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