the world can be cold, th
colder than the rate of h
one of the worst in the c
of people desperate for f
officials admit more has
Denver seven special pres
to take a closer look at
people experiencing homel
community and the governm
seven in depth report I'm
is trending in the wrong
and here in colorado repo
of Housing and Urban Deve
any given night in 2020 m
had no place to call home
listed as the 39th worst
rate. More than 4000 peop
here And among states, Co
for the rate of homelessn
two over last year. The g
are stepping up to help t
now and that's where we f
who spoke with a voluntee
trying to make a differen
your food as the line gro
from full trace by a woma
sweetheart. Thanks for be
for being here too. And w
our community and the fam
specifically the un house
a lot more to organize al
we come out here for one
twice a week is the way t
supports those facing hom
noticing that the dispari
population began increasi
a year ago. According to
the economic round table,
crisis is expected to pea
of Covid 19 related job l
she wants to act now sinc
week, twice a week, Terra
up on Curtis Street with
We come out here Tuesday
the months, more people w
and living in what they c
don't have affordable hou
safe indoor space for peo
cost of living is only ge
in our community. Gentrif
help with those concerns,
the help of many voluntee
the bulk of the supplies
those who know terrorists
something bigger and more
really struck me as one t
Jesse Vogel started a go
raise money for supplies
I saw her being very kind
just um, going very out o
an impact in their lives.
for a week after week and
whip would definitely hel
have more distributions c
Jesse thinks I need a van
somebody else told me I n
I do believe having bigge
help us get around the co
the community would be he
colorado native and PhD s
to ask for help what's on
Vogel knows people will h
That's what I've resolved
full heart, how you guys
providing full place and
to grow CB Cotton, Denver
your turn. If you can spa
efforts, head to the Denv
click on Denver Seven giv
can find a link that says
you can make a difference
19 pandemic has also set
the homeless community an
City leaders invested $24
housing and shelter progr
extended three contracts
coalition for the homeles
Army advocates say the pl
people experiencing homel
exposed to Covid homeless
transitional housing also
And chance to find jobs,
in order. One of the thin
us is that 24/7 shelter i
for the people who stayed
they can get services on
rather than moving from l
Those individuals have be
term, with remarkable hou
and many lex interactions
justice system, which is
as well as uh you know, i
the community. More than
experiencing homelessness
thanks to this program. A
were extended to support
during the pandemic, many
continue well after it's
Coalition for the homeles
housing project. Earlier
a half million dollars. T
house up to 98 people hav
help people recover from
abuse, organizers say the
up to 500 people a year a
help them land jobs, get
The facility will go up a
street that's behind the
Centre and the renaissanc
And one of the hurdles he
populations is giving the
a place of their own A ta
where rent is high and ge
And that's why state lawm
let cities and municipali
housing and new developme
seven Sloan Dickey, was t
across colorado continue
new law targets simple ec
economics, housing afford
a supply and demand and w
and more demands. The sta
largest increases in hous
across the U. S. A trend
the current pandemic but
day and its statewide, th
range issue. You it's not
An obvious solution to hi
affordable housing. The c
Is really, really simple
doesn't allow cities to m
housing laws. About 20 ye
court ruling passed a dec
inclusionary zoning is a
Right control is constitu
by Tabor, House Bill 21-1
that decision. And so um
to do is uncoupled rent c
zoning. The bill allows c
development in order to p
of new affordable housing
that local authority to l
goal is to allow cities t
themselves as colorado co
this is just another way
that ability to develop a
and perhaps bring the ame
within reach once again,
seven, another safe space
homelessness is poised to
Hill neighborhood. Not al
happy about it though Den
Rodriguez stopped by the
Church and learned that p
the less fortunate cut so
members off Guard Park Hi
Church is parking lot wil
newest homeless sanction
current one in Cap Hill.
across the street are fru
of communication and say
about how it will be mana
disbelief for many people
neighborhood, They're jus
this new neighbor, a safe
will offer refuge for som
didn't seem logical that
camp on a parking lot of
there are a lot of questi
will look like and how it
there's also frustration
from Park Hill United Met
this was even coming. But
have had the conversation
intent to disregard the c
came out before we were r
we need to tell our churc
the success of the S. O.
Community Church, Laura R
feel comfortable bringing
the neighborhood. Somewhe
be the beginning of the f
where there will be a one
that will be monitored at
at the capitol site, incl
of several former homeles
of their own has been the
five people in tiny homes
So far, we've got two mor
be moving out, Chandler s
who live in the safe outd
access to the services th
mental health and physica
health services to the si
workers in case managemen
bring meals to the site e
have trash and bathrooms
that we all need in order
neighborhood apprehension
easing concerns through p
I really hope that Parkhi
me authentically saying t
good neighbors. Neighborh
to take place in the comi
S. O. S. Is set to open j
then verse seven, a churc
planning to convert its o
housing. The heart of the
working with local nonpro
nine acres of land into a
space. The plan is to hav
10 housing units and two
minister there says the p
homeless population in mo
doesn't mean that we're g
on every square inch. Our
the existing zoning for t
allows for some green spa
center for the expansion
And so we really do envis
community organizers hope
within the next 3 to 5 ye
are getting vaccinated fo
but the homeless still ne
gonna take a look at how
are helping get shots to
all Denver rights have th
with the homeless communi
health and safety were je
city and homeless advocat
groups are also trying to
people living on the stre
beats stop by the Trinity
Church here in Denver to
at their efforts. As mill
get vaccinated for COVID-
community are reluctant t
religious leaders are try
care or they just don't r
virus for some people liv
Their skepticism about ge
vaccination, believe in h
and stuff like that. So a
it's control to kill peop
leaders are working to ch
the doors to their places
God! And turning them int
A church that has faith w
ken Brown is the senior p
Methodist church. Getting
roll and a lot of people
He recently teamed up wit
and state health official
19 vaccination clinic pos
on vaccinating the homele
excited that we have this
to vaccinate at least 500
those spots are folks tha
Health experts say vaccin
is beneficial to even tho
streets. We have to prote
than what we might think
about going to work or sc
in the community that it'
the whole Doctor Cheryl's
infectious disease specia
members of the homeless c
stop the spread of covid
to actually get vaccinate
challenges. You know, whe
that secure housing situa
to track. And then to als
it's the two dose vaccina
second dose and some of t
won't go, I don't underst
is homeless and did get v
many others living on the
she hopes to change. Ther
resources but you have to
put an end to this. I'm K
Denver, Mayor Michael Han
for COVID-19 were three t
people experiencing homel
average. And today, as yo
adults are eligible to ge
of charge. You don't need
even need to be a citizen
issue in Denver, that's b
At the end of last year,
city to give a week's not
them. That issue came bac
a fire started at a homel
a line just uh, near East
streets. Now the fire spr
comfort near an industria
dozens of propane tanks a
power poles, leaving near
in the dark. And that pro
safety department to move
camp almost advocates say
the injunction, but the d
director and neighbors ne
fire says something has t
They were starting fires
We called the city, we ca
a propane storage area wh
stored tons Of propane. A
I mean literally tons of
have taken out multiple c
living in the camp told D
15 minutes to get their s
says the city was within
because of those eminent
that is not the first inc
homeless population that'
living difficult. One wom
blind and has a guide dog
she couldn't walk on the
capital because of a home
them to move so that I co
they were very, very angr
live with a major disabil
I don't expect the city t
money on me. I just want
to make it possible for t
disabled to travel safely
disabilities act allows f
in service as long as sta
address these problems as
The Denver Department of
Infrastructure said the s
would hold them up from c
immediately and Aurora Ma
undercover among the home
the problem. He lived on
week and afterward he tol
people experiencing homel
quote a lifestyle choice.
I saw as a common denomin
was drug use and namely c
these in cameras. The dif
homeless who go to shelte
for services and the home
the encampments, that the
One of Aurora's former ho
directors called Hoffman'
shallow performative exer
the experience changed hi
city officials tell Denve
no movement on the campin
approval process to date
the state or by acts of k
be an everyday hero for t
littleton girl is certain
out how she is helping th
painting at a time as we
this special presentation
solution to homeless prob
girl, six years old helpi
colorful way. Denver Seve
introduces us to Lillian
youngest Denver seven eve
most artists. Little Lill
had the gift of empathy j
world around her. Um and
So when she saw the growi
panhandlers near her gran
just didn't sit right wit
There's like lots of peop
like like holding up sign
help. And so she went to
she said, I want to sell
to help the homeless. And
was that's amazing. I don
this Together. They came
Big heart art and sent th
name is Lillian Benedicta
cafe with a proposal. I'm
to you and you can give t
to your customers if they
would display and sell he
she would donate all of t
cafes Foundation which he
through its grace in acti
touched my heart. Cafe ow
was blown away such a you
six and she just has such
already, Lillian now spen
in her art room. I probab
a day after school. Her p
the people in Georgia and
To date she's raised $1,0
Foundation. It's amazing.
100 people, which is unbe
amazed that the support a
encouragement that she wa
have been deeply moved by
even more so by the artis
reminders of just what's
all see the world through
of a six year old. We wer
what you're doing That on
seven an American financi
you As a Denver seven eve
This is for you. You're w
in the centennial state h
thanks to generous people
you, people experiencing
by. And there's always wa
our website, the Denver c
learn more and view any o
for watching this special
Seven News. I'm Shannon o
leave you with a line fro
Man in the Mirror quote.