DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock announced the start of a new partnership between 311 and the Early Intervention Team on Monday.
The partnership, which went into effect immediately, will rout callers away from the police department in order to provide a more structured alternative to non-criminal calls regarding homeless encampments in Denver.
“We don’t need police officers being the first responders for routine calls about encampments,” Mayor Hancock said. “The goal will continue to be to connect our unhoused neighbors to shelter, housing, treatment and care – that means a human services response and not a public safety response.”
Implementation of this new system comes at the same time as Denver City Council voted unanimously to extend its partnership with The Colorado Collation for the Homeless for a second time. This partnership will provide more that 800 hotel and motel rooms as well as various resources to Denver homeless. The extension will cost the city $10.2 million and last until June 30.
Other steps that Mayor Hancock’s administration is taking to help those experiencing homelessness include:
- Providing funding and other support for two safe outdoor space sanctioned campsites
- Opening a 46-bed crisis stabilization center in the coming weeks
- Opening a 450-bed shelter later this year
- Investing more than $10 million in recent months to create 250 apartments for people exiting homelessness
- Supporting emergency shelter and services in response to COVID-19, including 24/7 sheltering options and more than 800 hotel rooms for isolation
These new changes come the same day a federal appeals judge told the city it must abide by a seven day notice before clearing illegal homeless encampments, despite an emergency request to stop the federal ruling made back in January.