Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has his sales pitch for homeless micro-communities down pat. But in some neighborhoods near proposed sites, the plan is being met with confusion, suspicion and, at times,…
Johnston has said permanent housing, such as a home or an apartment, is the end goal of his initiative. But micro-communities will provide a stopgap that can benefit both unhoused people and the nearby neighborhoods.
Safe Outdoor Space resident John Sharp walks past several tents inside the community near W. 13th Avenue and Quivas Street in Denver on June 15, 2023. The Colorado Village Collaborative operates three temporaryin the city today. Those sites are largely made up of ice fishing tents. Johnston has said the new micro-communities will not use tents.
“In order to scale our services and meet the needs of the community, we need to open multiple sites quickly and equitably across the city,” Jordan Fuja, a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office, wrote in an email.To make financial sense, a site must be able to host a community for at least two years, according to the administration.Specific estimates aren’t yet available, but Johnston has put the ballpark cost at $25,000 per unit for buildings, with some variance from property to property.
Conservative estimates suggest even a small site would cost Denver more than $3 million to establish and operate for one year. Charity also is in the mix, with city plans saying Johnston may also call on businesses and foundations to provide support.The city has solicited proposals from organizations interested in operating sites and providing wraparound services, with a Sept. 11 deadline. To date, only the Colorado Village Collaborative has operated tiny home villages in Denver.
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