New Plan to Address Homeless Needed in Denver

After Denver voters rejected the "Right to Survive" initiative in May, the city is looking for new ways to "do better" for its homeless population.

1 minute read

June 21, 2019, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


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"Denver voters recently rejected Initiative 300, which would have granted new rights for people to take shelter in public spaces," according to an article Andrew Kenney, but the city is looking for ways to live up to its promise to "do better" for homeless people in the city despite the failure of that inititive.

So far, the replacement plan involves spending about $10.7 million on new services for homeless shelters in the city, attempting to make shelters more of a 24/7 support environment.

"Instead of scrambling for beds, people could be assigned beds for longer periods. Instead of waking up at dawn, they could be allowed to stay during the day and store belongings at the shelters. And the shelter system could loosen its strict schedules, making it easier for working people to get in at off-peak hours," writes Kenney to explain the possibilities.

The plans are still speculative, with more details expected to emerge in the coming months. 

Wednesday, June 12, 2019 in The Denver Post

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