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Denver to roll out more 'homeless meters'

DENVER - Throughout downtown Denver you will find 36 red meters that resemble everyday parking meters.

Instead of buying time at a parking spot, the meters advertise that the money deposited can help a Denver program aimed at ending homelessness in 10 years.

"Every quarter that you put into the meters goes right back to your homeless providers to build more housing and services for our homeless," said Jamie van Leeuwen, the project manager for Denver's Road Home Program.

Starting next week, Denver leaders will roll out phase 2 of the homeless meter program. The first 36 were unveiled back in March. Mayor John Hickenlooper is expected to announce that 50 more meters will be added. Most will be located in downtown because of the high volume of traffic, but plans also call for more than a dozen to be posted at Denver International Airport and at least one at the Pepsi Center.

Since they were installed, van Leeuewen says the meters have generated $36,000 through corporate sponsors and donations. The goal for the next 50 meters is to raise $100,000 a year.

However, money is not the only thing people like van Leeuwen are trying raise.

"I think equally important is the community awareness it's generating and educating people about the homeless in Denver," said van Leeuwen.

Neil Oberfeld, an attorney with Isaacson Rosenbaum P.C., says workers at the downtown law practice have raised their awareness about the homeless situation in Denver. The law firm is one of the more than 30 sponsors of the meters. Oberfeld says the meters are a good reminder of the good fortunes most people enjoy.

"But for the grace of God we could all be in that situation. We're all very fortunate at our company to work and do well, but we're always mindful how easy it could be for a bad event to occur in someone's life," said Oberfeld.

According to van Leeuewen the homeless meters have helped in the Road Home's overall goal of ending homelessness. Since Denver's Road Home Program started two years ago, van Leeuewen says overall homelessness has decreased 11 percent, and chronic homelessness is down 36 percent.

While the city officials may be seeing progress, homeless people like Montell Williams see a different situation at the street level.

"I don't see the problem getting better, it's getting worse. Oh, it's tough, yes it is you have to be down here to see it for yourself," said Williams.

On any given night there are roughly 4,000 homeless people in Denver. When Denver's Road Home Program began, that number stood around 5,000.

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