DENVER (KDVR) — With more than 700 fires at metro-area encampments in 2021, the effort to improve safety for all is gaining strength.
Residents in the Five Points neighborhood say there is growing concern about illegal drug use as well.
“During this brutal weather, (they) are burning fires to cook their food but also to stay warm, and it’s clearly not safe for them or safe for the resident,” said resident Gerald Horner, who is working to improve conditions for the homeless and keep residents safe as well.
FOX31 found charred belongings strewn across the snow and a telephone pole covered in soot near 25th Street and Glenarm Place, where an encampment was destroyed by fire on Dec. 30.
“You can see this historic church structure that’s here, this wooden fence, it could have easily turned into a disaster,” Horner said. The Denver Fire Department said more than 20,000 gallons of propane were found at encampments in 2021 as firefighters assisted those living on the streets.
The city is operating a range of outreach programs for those struggling to survive. Horner said more must be done.
“There is not an emergency resolution of the humanitarian crisis that we have today,” he said, adding that he feels the Safe Outdoor Space program is the key to expediting recovery for those with nowhere to call home.
“Move folks out of these unsafe encampments into encampments that have service-rich support and direct connection to housing,” Horner said.
The Colorado Coalition For The Homeless said it will expand outreach activities during the winter season, housing many in more than 600 metro-area hotel rooms. Executive Director John Parvensky told FOX31 that community support is crucial to finding a solution “so we can end the surge of homelessness on the streets of Denver.”
The Denver Police Department provided FOX31 with the following statement:
“Illicit drug use is certainly a concern for us, particularly as our community experiences increasing overdose deaths. When a person observes any type of illegal activity, we encourage them to contact the Denver Police Department non-emergency number at 720-913-2000 to report the incident (or 911 for an emergency) so that we can work to address these crimes. The caller should be as specific as possible regarding their observations of the activity, location and descriptions of individual(s) involved. For persistent issues, we also encourage residents and property owners to contact the Community Resource Officers in their respective Denver Police District to discuss the issues and possible solutions.”
Denver Police Department