Group petitions mayor to support jailing, committing 'service-resistant unsheltered addicts'

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is sworn in Monday, July 17.Photo byDenver 8

By David Heitz / NewsBreak Denver

(Denver, Colo.) For people experiencing homelessness, the nightmare doesn't end until they find affordable housing. But for property owners fed up with illegal homeless encampments, housing’s not necessarily the answer – addiction and/ mental health treatment and incarceration is.

Housekeys Action Network Denver, or HAND, and Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver have submitted petitions to newly elected mayor Mike Johnston in the past few days. One group is calling upon him to quickly take action to house the homeless and the other wants the mayor to sweep away illegal encampments and jail homeless people who refuse shelter and treatment.

Actually, Craig Arfsten of Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver said he doesn't like lumping all homeless people together. He said his organization is concerned about "service-resistant unsheltered addicts" who live in encampments, about 1,300 in Denver in all.

“Today's chronically unsheltered homeless populations -- those often living in illegal encampments on Denver's sidewalks, or in public spaces while resisting or refusing city services -- are typically in the throes of addiction to fentanyl, methamphetamine, and more recently, both,” according to Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver’s petition. “These synthetic drugs are the most potent, dangerous compounds ever known, and crippling addiction is the inevitable consequence for those who choose them. Addiction leads to abandonment of everything that matters: Family, friends, work, personal well-being, housing, and general societal participation.”

Homeless advocates have told Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver that not all unhoused people abuse drugs. Many suffer from mental illness or are down on their luck. Unhoused people and their advocates have told the mayor that criminalizing homelessness does nothing to solve it. Arfsten said his group acknowledges homelessness occurs on a spectrum, from the addicted to those simply down on their luck.

Residents told to leave Rodeway

HAND has asked the mayor to immediately stop the scattering of unhoused neighbors from the Rodeway Motel. “On August 24th, 2023, we must all be out, and yet – only a few residents have housing lined up to move into, only some residents have housing vouchers to use, and many residents have no housing or housing voucher lined up at all,” according to HAND's petition. “Without assistance, we will be put back on the streets or in shelters – the places we came from where we nearly died, faced hate/assault/violence, and were targeted for who we are.”

HAND and Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver view the homelessness epidemic through very different lenses. HAND wants Rodeway to remain open through the end of this year. Or, the group wants Rodeway residents housed in other hotels until permanent housing can be found.

“In addition to this, we ask that you come to the Rodeway and meet with residents directly to understand the context and specifics of the need, and to make a commitment directly to residents to secure safe housing for all,” Rodeway residents ask Johnston in the petition. “Our lives are not disposable. Telling us to go back to the shelters or streets after having stability in this hotel is not acceptable. We need you as mayor to live up to your campaign promises and ensure every resident has real housing.”

Jail, commit 'service-resistant unsheltered addicts'

In the eyes of Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver residents, Johnston has an obligation to make sure the city is just that – safe and clean. They say the encampments have created open-air drug dens that threaten the safety and security of Denverites. The petition calls upon Johnston to empower the police. “Empower the Denver Police Department to enforce our current laws,” the petition asks. “It seems we have legalized crime. We allow public abuse of drugs, auto and property thefts, public urination and defecation, trespassing, menacing, and public intoxication without any consequences. Enforcement of laws would give people a sober pause to reevaluate their lives and behaviors.”

Sweep encampments immediately, group asks

Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver wants encampments swept away as soon as they are reported. However, the city is legally bound by a settlement to provide notice before a sweep. “Illegal encampments pose a significant health and safety hazard to residents and neighboring businesses,” according to the petition. “It is imperative encampments are quickly removed and not tolerated. Expand funding … as needed to achieve this goal.”

The group also wants the district attorney to crack down on people experiencing homelessness who break the law. They want mentally ill and/or addicted people committed.

“Currently, violent criminals and accused drug dealers are released on Personal recognizance (PR) bonds,” the petition reads. “People flock to Denver for our criminal legal leniency. Meanwhile Denver's police officers are demoralized by our revolving door justice system and blamed for these policy failures.”

Recovery, not dependency, group pleads

Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver believes its members are far more compassionate than the so-called homeless advocates. “We believe in subsidizing recovery and not enabling addiction,” according to the petition. “There is no compassion in permitting people to abuse dangerous drugs, playing Russian roulette several times daily, until they overdose and die on the streets.”

In his inauguration speech, Johnston spoke to the addicted and severely mentally ill. “We will not give up on you," the mayor promised. "We will get you a home. We will get you healed.”