There are more than 5,755 unhoused citizens in Denver, the US state of Colorado’s capital city, according to theMetro Denver Homeless Initiative’s annual Point in Time (PIT) report.
Of these, 600 men have been bussed out to the National Western Complex [a new shelter facility which began operating at capacity upon opening], 700 of the vulnerable and frail have been offered free hotel rooms, and between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals occupy Denver’s additional shelter beds.
This leaves Denver with possibly more than 2,000 unhoused individuals carving out an edgy existence on its streets. Meanwhile, the coronavirus stalks, and public health issues loom dangerously on the horizon.
In this dystopian cityscape, the remaining unhoused and economically disenfranchised citizens have created a new ‘city within the city’, located just north of Denver’s downtown area.
At the centre of this pop-up city is Denver’s blue mobile public restroom, equipped with a mere three stalls and a few hand-washing stations scattered throughout the area. None of these resources are sufficient for an at-risk population of 2,000 citizens.
Stepping up to help the homeless people in the area, Denver Homeless Out Loud and Mutual Aid Denver donated four additional portable toilets, along with hand-washing and trash stations in late April.