DENVER — Next week, the city of Denver will start discharging hundreds of migrant families from its shelters again. Advocates for migrants worry that means many of those families will end up homeless on the streets.
At a city council meeting Thursday, Evan Dreyer, the deputy chief of staff for Mayor Mike Johnston's office, said the city doesn't have enough room or money to house migrants indefinitely.
"If we were to have to sustain this level, it is unsustainable," Dreyer said. "From a staff perspective, from a space perspective, and certainly from a financial perspective."
In November, Denver paused discharging families from shelters because of the cold weather and because the number of people housed in city shelters was low enough to provide room. Now, the city is out of room and money.
On Monday, when the city starts discharging families who’ve stayed in shelters for more than their allotted 42 days, the city will no longer guarantee housing.
Sarah Parady, city councilmember at-large, said she worries the cycle of homelessness will continue.
"My biggest fear is that this month, as we discharge hundreds of people from city hotel shelters, that people will not have available housing, will not have another shelter that has space for them, and that they will end up in a situation of unsheltered homelessness in tents on the street," Parady said.
While migrants traveling with children are allowed to stay in shelters for six weeks, individuals are only allowed to stay for 14 days. The city says they won't allow people to live on the streets and are relying on outreach to connect migrants with resources.
The city also urges the community to donate to the Newcomers Fund, which assists with work authorization, housing, food and more.
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