Denver To Open Its First Dedicated Homeless Campsite

Denver is opening the city's first sanctioned campsite for the unhoused population.

The parking lot outside of the First Baptist Church of Denver will be the first safe outdoor space.

The church is set to provide accommodations for thirty unhoused women.

"We looked at more than 115 sites throughout Denver for these different locations, and then city council approved a temporary zoning permit waiver so that old zoning codes could be included in our sites," said Director of Housing Justice with the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Kathleen Van Voorhis. "First Baptist immediately offered up their site, and we moved forward on our women's site with Earthlinks."

The women's safe sanctioned site will be up and running by the end of the week according to CBS4.

The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado is collaborating with First Baptist and other organizations to set up technical assistance.

Earthlinks will run the facility 24 hours a day.

The site will offer restrooms, showers, washers, dryers, and bike racks.

There will also be daily COVID-19 screenings and the facility will follow social distancing guidelines.

The news follows a tension-filled day on November 30, when law enforcement and other city officials were met by protesters during an ordered sweep of a large homeless encampment in RiNo.

Van Voorhis says organizers will start working on a second safe site next week.

It will be at the Denver Community Church and will house men, women, and couples.

Photo: Getty Images