DENVER — In his first action as Denver's new mayor, Mike Johnston declared homelessness a city emergency.
The goal of the emergency declaration is to get 1,000 people who are currently experiencing homelessness on the street into housing by the end of the year.
"It is a human rights challenge because we know right now we have people living and dying on the streets of Denver. We know we have people who need access to support and services who can't get them. We know it is a public health challenge. We know it is an economic development challenge. We know all of the key visions we have for the city revolve around making sure those who are most at risk right now can get access to the services they need," Johnston said in a press conference on Tuesday morning.
Johnston said through his campaign that he plans to end homelessness for people living on the street by the end of his first term. The Metro Denver Housing Initiative's 2022 count of people living on the streets was at 1,313. Almost three times as many people are experiencing homelessness locally, but have a shelter at night.
Housing 1,000 people in six months would be 75% of Johnston's four-year goal.
While the declaration itself does not cost any money, the shelters ultimately will.
"We have current dollars in our city budget that are allocated to this purpose already, and as we build the portfolio of solutions that are going to come forward, whether they are current rental units, whether they are hotel conversions, whether they are micro-communities -- those will have different cost structures," Johnston said.
"As we get feedback from the community, we’ll know exactly what the combination of those housing options are and what the cost is.”
There will be 10 mayoral appointees assigned to address the goal.
Johnston's declaration is something similar to what now Mayor Michael Hancock did regarding the migrant crisis.
It gives Denver access to state and federal grant money and allows for faster services. For example, while the process for city-owned housing can face delays, the declaration could speed up the process.
The declaration. also activates the emergency operations center and puts people from housing, homelessness outreach and public health all in the same room.
Following his announcement, Johnston met with groups that are well-versed in helping those experiencing homelessness. Colorado Coalition for the Homeless was represented, as well as public health experts.
John Parvenksy, who just retired as head of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said the organization made an effort to have homelessness seen as an emergency with the previous administration.
“Back in 2017, we asked Mayor Hancock to declare a state of emergency when we started seeing more and more encampments in our neighborhoods and our downtown areas," Parvensky said.
“We looked at what San Diego was doing and set up some meetings inviting to fund the mayor to go out and visit.”
That trip never happened.
“The mayor was reluctant to do that. And by the time we got to 2020, we were in the COVID and the public health emergency became part and parcel of our response to homelessness," he said.
In 2017, the city of San Diego declared a homelessness emergency in part due to a Hepatitis A outbreak and full shelters.
Johnston's emergency declaration was not because shelters are at capacity.
"This entire focus is on people who are living outdoors, who are unsheltered, who are in encampments, who we think are the greatest risk to themselves…and that we think pose a real opportunity to get on their feet and for us to get back public sidewalks and spaces where all the city has access," Johnston said.
9NEWS tried to reach Hancock through his now former spokesperson, who said Hancock is on vacation.
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