Homeless Count

In this article it says that Denver has more homeless people this year than last. “A total of 12,605 homeless people were counted in the survey of the region’s homeless Jan. 23- a survey that occurs on one night in January every year.” That is a lot of homeless people that are out on the streets and shelters. They do not all get into shelters some sleep at night on the street. They did this study just a week before the city council is supposed to have the final vote in which I wrote about in last week’s blog. They found out in the study that: “Nearly 1,000 people were unsheltered that night; 600 respondents said domestic violence was the reason for their homelessness, and 3,239 people were considered “newly homeless.” Nearly 1000 people lived on the streets and not in a shelter. They have about 1,700 shelter beds in Denver. “.. about 10,000 fewer than needed.” If this ordinance passes where are they going to put all those people; in jail? The police it would seem would be spending most of their time catching homeless people? Who are these homeless people? “We see this rise every year… That changes the stereotype of what people think a homeless person is. These are children.” They are family with kids. If there is no room in shelters what are they going to do with these children? A lot of unanswered questions, it seems they are pushing this through so fast and are not thinking about the consequences of what will really happen. It is more than just the mentally ill. “You have to have somewhere to go… adding that families with children make up about 64 percent of the region’s homeless population. They should think of a way to help these people rather than pass a bill making camping illegal on the streets of Denver. To me I think they are just pushing this measure through and not given a chance to stop and think what might happen.