Homelessness
A Humane and accountable stance on homelessness
Homelessness is often described as a complex regional issue. The City of Arvada has made several attempts to address homelessness, including developing a draft action plan in 2024, purchasing the Early College building near Gold Strike to turn into a navigation center (which was later canceled), and recently participating in a regional summit on homelessness to develop a cost-sharing model for addressing homelessness. Throughout these efforts, community members have expressed frustration over the lack of transparency, commitment, and potential impacts to their neighborhoods pending facility locations.
I believe that the City of Arvada has a responsibility to address homelessness in a humane and financially responsible manner. With between 70-100 homeless individuals living in Arvada, the need is clear, especially with winter approaching. As a data-driven decision maker, I value methods that measure, test, and refine. I am confident that with the right leadership, our community can find a balance that separates the stigma of homelessness from the individuals experiencing it and meets the basic needs of those in tough situations while also holding accountable the criminals who hide among the homeless population.
Challenges:
The cost of housing has grown to unsustainable levels making it harder to break the cycle of homelessness
Concentrating homeless facilities/services in one area can lead to spill-over issues (trash, sanitation, drug use, theft)
Concentrating unit types for housing projects can quickly become a slum
Stigma of addiction and its impact on societal views on homelessness
A few bad actors can quickly and aggressively damage the image of our homeless population
Law enforcement has limited ability to separate career criminals from folks that are seeking housing assistance due to state law changes
Solutions:
Workforce/supportive housing projects that provide resources to help folks get back on their feet. I have supported several housing projects as the chair of the planning commission that provide wrap-around services and real opportunities to break the cycle of homelessness.
Emergency winter shelter to keep people warm and comfortable during our bitter cold winter nights. This is a critical need that is well within our capabilities as a City and could also involve members of our faith community providing facilities, but there needs to be leadership on Council to ensure that the division of responsibilities and support between volunteers, our faith leaders, and City staff is clearly articulated and agreed to.
Expansion of the Arvada Police Department’s Community Outreach Resource Enforcement (CORE) team. Currently, Olde Town Arvada has 4 CORE officers on duty, which has led to improvements seen by both residents and business owners in Olde Town. On Council, I would advocate for the expansion of the CORE team to other areas of the city as needed to manage gaps in coverage.
Dispel the stigma by working with the City’s two new Homelessness Navigators and public outreach team to develop measurable metrics that are easily available to the public to ensure the process is transparent and accountable. Honest accounting and course correction, when necessary, will support the idea that helping our homeless neighbors doesn’t mean downgrading quality of life and security for our city.