Improve Quality of Life for Unsheltered Residents Advocates claimed the camping ban would improve living conditions for Denver’s unsheltered residents. People on the streets would experience caring intervention, police would help direct them to needed services, and they would experience an improved quality of life. Overwhelmingly, however, homeless survey respondents reveal that these hopes of ban supporters are not being realized. In fact, most homeless respondents report that their life has become more stressful, more challenging, and less safe since the camping ban began. Here are the details of how survey respondents reported their deteriorating quality of life. Many respondents speak of traveling longer distances to avoid detection at night, and 60% of respondents report getting less sleep overall.
Most homeless respondents have been contacted numerous times by police, and more than 60% of respondents say it has become more necessary to avoid the police, since the ban; only 4% feel police have become more helpful. The most typical form of contact is for the police officer to warn an individual of the camping ban, issue a warning, and ask them to “move along.” Very rarely do the police offer assistance with arranging social services; even more rarely does an outreach worker arrive on the scene. 26% of homeless respondents report police citation or arrest in the last year.
The Denver Camping Ban
More than half of all respondents feel their life has become less safe since the ban went into effect; only 6% feel more safe.
The majority of respondents say that accessing social services and other necessary recourses has become more difficult since the ban began; only 8% feel access to resources has improved.
The Denver Camping Ban: Theory and Reality The Denver Camping Ban has been very effective in one of its stated goals: moving unsheltered homeless people out of central, well-lit downtown areas like the 16th Street Mall. But the stated goals of improving the range of services available to homeless people, and improving their quality of life have not been met. In fact, most unsheltered Denver residents report their lives have become more challenging, more stressful, and less safe since the camping ban began.
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