
“It is about safety in terms of no public drug use and reducing crime, and also moving people from the illegal encampments into shelter and drug treatment,” said an organizer.
“It is about safety in terms of no public drug use and reducing crime, and also moving people from the illegal encampments into shelter and drug treatment,” said an organizer.
The Denver nonprofit has been manufacturing packaged food and providing job training in Curtis Park for 27 years but needed more space.
Colorado Village Collaborative’s budget grew from $250,000 in 2017 to $2.5 million in 2020. The nonprofit’s 2022 budget is expected to be $5.3 million and the nonprofit wants to become even more active someday in building more housing.
“My sense is that our community’s eyes don’t deceive us, and everyone has the sense that unsheltered homelessness numbers will increase,” said a city official.
“We don’t have any visibility into the real operations and what kind of problems that they have in these places,” said Michael Kennedy, citing safety as a reason to close it.
The latter is the first sanctioned camp on public property in Denver and it faces less resistance from neighbors.
Amanda Sawyer voted against the first sanctioned homeless campsite on Denver city property but it was approved 10-1 and will open Dec. 14.
The nonprofit that operates the temporary shelter site and a neighborhood association were unable to come to terms.
Colorado Village Collaborative said it has an agreement with the city to operate a “safe outdoor space” near the entrance of York Street Yards.
A $20 million capital campaign is funding the 26,470-square-foot facility. The organization was founded by former Denver Broncos quarterback Brian Griese.
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