DENVER — For the first time, one of Denver’s managed homeless campsites will be run on city property after the City Council approved a license agreement for the camp Monday.
The agreement, which passed in an 11-1 vote, allows Colorado Village Collaborative to lease the parking lot of the Human Services East Office at 3815 N. Steele St. for the campsite, called a Safe Outdoor Space. Only Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer voted no.
“I have consistently voted against the use of Safe Outdoor Spaces and I’m going to continue to do so tonight,” Sawyer said.
The agreement passed on Monday does not include any additional funding for the managed homeless campsites and charges Colorado Village Collaborative $10 for the lease. In previous meetings, Sawyer has argued the city shouldn’t support people living in tents and should focus on traditional shelter systems.
Other council members and city officials have defended the program, which was established at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when rates of homelessness increased, as did public health concerns regarding indoor shelters.
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