Starting in December, city-owned property in Denver will serve as a "safe outdoor space" for unhoused people for the first time ever.

Colorado Village Collaborative (CVC) announced Nov. 9 that it is partnering with the City and County of Denver to establish a safe outdoor space at the Denver Human Services (DHS) East Office in the city’s Clayton neighborhood.

The site will open Dec. 14 and stay open until Nov. 30, 2022.

“This site will mark the first time city property is being used for Safe Outdoor Space,” Britta Fisher, executive director of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability, said in the news release. “We are glad to help support Colorado Village Collaborative and help grow this model that has provided residents another path from our streets to stability in Denver.”

The safe outdoor space at the DHS office will replace a site that is currently set up at Park Hill United Methodist Church. Park Hill residents who were against the safe camping site unsuccessfully sued CVC and the church.

According to CVC, “many of the 40 residents" at the Park Hill site will move to the DHS location, but the new location also has space to accept more people.
CVC says the DHS site, which is 15,000 square feet and will have 24-hour staff, can house 50 residents.

"Today is a day to celebrate forward progress for the health, dignity and belonging of our unhoused neighbors,” CVC’s executive director Cole Chandler said in the release. “We're grateful to the City and County of Denver for partnering with us to expand critical services for our unsheltered neighbors ahead of another Colorado winter.”

In addition to shelter, the DHS site will have cots, food, and assistance for people looking for permanent housing.

In Denver, the number of people without homes has increased drastically over the past year. Moreover, the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time doubled since 2020, according to a point-in-time survey.

In CVC's news release, Clayton resident Jes Discoll is quoted as saying, "I know that tents aren't the forever solution, but helping people gain some stability through a safe place to sleep each night is a huge step in the right direction."

CVC also operates a safe outdoor space at Regis University, and was planning to open another near Denver Health the week of Nov. 15.

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.