AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman told FOX31 the city is not prepared to enforce a camping ban that took effect on Saturday.
Councilmember Dustin Zvonik told FOX31 the council was to get more answers from city management on Friday about why this ban can’t be enforced just yet.
“They’re not going to be ready to have the shelter option that I’ve moved forward with,” Coffman said.
“The encampment issue, it is a drug crisis and it is a mental health crisis,” Coffman said.
Coffman said the plan to address this “crisis” won’t be enforced yet, in part of because the city’s own schedule to build a 24/7 shelter for folks who want its help. The plan has reportedly been to convert an old hospital into one.
“Mile High Behavioral Healthcare is one of many options that are going in front of the Aurora City Council to help with this encampment ban,” said Anna Miller with MHBHC.
Miller said they’ve been helping Aurora manage its issue with people experiencing homelessness, along with the encampments. It starts with outreach in the form of vans that are out trying to convince people to seek help.
“That has food, water, resources, gives them some information about the Aurora day resource center,” Miller said.
How will Aurora’s camping ban be enforced?
Another issue Coffman said exists in the enforcement of banning encampments: enforcing the new rule on state property, namely highways and underpasses.
“I’ve talked to the governor about increasing that cap and giving us the authority to just go ahead and do it,” Coffman said.
The gap, Coffman has said, is the budget to allow local police to bust up encampments under highways instead of waiting on state authorities.
Miller said any help the City of Aurora may or may not choose to provide to groups already helping these folks would be a step toward better enforcing any encampment ban.
“Our hope is to grow our partnership with them, which does include financial resources,” Miller said.
While the ban remains unenforced, Mile High Behavioral Healthcare reported 600-800 people experiencing homelessness on the streets around Aurora every night.
The city council meets on Monday to learn the results of a study to actually enforce this encampment ban, which was approved in late March.