by John Claybaugh
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.)
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.)
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