Speakers discuss homeless children on Denver’s streets, busted pipes at homeless hotel

Housekeys Action Network Denver recently raised money to buy this family a trailer.Photo byHousekeys Action Network Denver

Speakers during the public comment period of the Denver City Council meeting Monday told officials about children living on the streets and unsanitary conditions at Fusion homeless hotel.

Amy Beck, an advocate for the homeless community who has been assisting migrants, said several newcomers and their children still are camping on the streets. Many more live in their cars, she said. “What are we going to do about that?” she asked the council.

She said the migrant unhoused community has few shelter options. Beck said that the city shelter only allows stays of up to 72 hours, which is just long enough for a migrant to decide where they should go with a free bus ticket. At one time, the city was spending millions on sheltering migrants in hotels for more than 30 days. Since then, they hired someone to travel to El Paso and tell migrants that Denver can no longer provide long-term shelter. The city does provide free bus tickets for onward travel.

That has forced the migrants into the same shelter safety net system as the one established for all. Beck said she heard the Tamarac Family Shelter has limited stays to 30 days. She wondered if that was correct and added if so, that is not enough time for a family to get back on their feet. She said residents have complained about air conditioning units not working. Some have said staff now work from home, Beck said. “I’m wondering what’s going on.”

Beck said more family shelters are needed in Denver. She said the mayor and council should keep that in mind during budget season. “I hope we solve this with the next budget.”

More trouble at Fusion Studios

Mary Anna Thompson, a formerly homeless elder and advocate, told the council that conditions are poor at Fusion Studios. The author of this article lives there. She reminded the council that at every council meeting, Jesse Lashawn Parris, who ran for mayor, tells the council, “I live at the roach, bed bug and mice-infested Fusion Studios.” She also referenced the "beloved" author of this article being assaulted at the apartment building. That happened July 2.

Jesse Lashawn Parris, also a resident of Fusion Studios, spoke after Thompson and described the ceiling falling inside his room due to a pipe he said burst three weeks ago. The Denver City Council does not respond to comments made during public comment time to give more members of the public time to speak.

Leading off public comment period, community activist Brian Loma chided the council. Half of them did not attend public comment period and instead were at a rally outside, he said.