Five Points Business Improvement District Demands Transparent and Inclusive Process for Determining Location of Proposed Homeless Encampment Site Next to Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“As we all know, COVID-19 has only made the challenges of serving people experiencing homelessness all the more difficult. In Denver, these obstacles include a significant increase in the number of unsheltered people living on our streets. Earlier this summer, I reluctantly agreed to a proposal from the Colorado Village Collaborative for up to three temporary managed campsites in Denver – a safer alternative to unsupervised encampments.  The CVC and my team were preparing for a community conversation this week about a possible location for one of these campsites, in the historic Five Points neighborhood not far from where I grew up.  However, after further investigation into suitability, we are taking this option off the table. The virtual town halls that have been scheduled for this week will be postponed and we will look to schedule a citywide conversation. I encourage all of us to take some time to reflect on the difficulties of finding a suitable location for a use such as this. The need to serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness remains one of the most significant challenges we face today, and solutions will require broad understanding and collaboration.” - Mayor Michael Hancock