Lakewood is taking an aggressive approach to homeless people sleeping in cars on public streets.
"Lakewood City Council unanimously passed a measure this week barring people from parking RVs or travel trailers on public streets anywhere in Lakewood, a restriction that had previously applied only to residential areas," reports John Aguilar.
The city was responding to the recent appearance of RVs parked on streets "amongst a collection of federal offices, Jefferson County School District buildings, and the headquarters of Christy Sports…" The city has received multiple complaints about the presence of the vehicles on streets.
According to Aguilar, the decision reconfigures the latest front in the Denver region's homeless crisis, as documented in an article published earlier in September.
Homeless advocacy organization Family Tree is organizing an effort to help the people living in RVs in Lakewood to relocate. "But Family Tree CEO Scott] Shields acknowledged the task will not be easy given the lack of available affordable housing in and around Denver."
Lakewood recently attracted national planning news for a debate about the environmental effects of the city's recently approved cap on new housing.
Read the full story: Lakewood puts an end to RV parking, shutting down makeshift solution to homelessness
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