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


Cherry Creek

Jose A Feliciano / Shutterstock

"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

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Mamdani behind a microphone, in front of a snowbank

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge

A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.

November 6 - CNN

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6 - Grist

People board a bus in Seattle.

Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion

Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.

November 6 - KOMO News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.