Saturday July 18th

“The Struggle For Space” event will explore the intersections of public and private space issues through art, music, education and live models of tiny homes.

As cities have experienced ‘white flight’, gentrification, destruction of low income housing, and ‘new urbanism’, city leaders and residents have had to redefine and relearn what ‘public’ and ‘private’ space means and who holds claim those spaces. This has clearly affected people experiencing homelessness in substantive legal and personal ways. Just this July cities across Colorado are are taking a range of actions: Colorado Springs is preparing to propose a ban on sitting/lying down in the downtown area; Denver is preparing to do “sweeps” along the rivers throwing away people’s belongings and moving people out; Fort Collins, on the other hand, has seen the ineffectiveness of these approaches and is considering amending their camping ban and anti-car sleeping law to reduce the tickets and “move alongs” because, as Police Services Deputy Chief Jerry Schiager said, he’s not sure that enforcement “was really that helpful” last year. All of this comes only three months after the Colorado State Legislature first considered the Right to Rest Act which would have given people rights to necessary acts of rest in public space. At the same time, in Denver, Boulder, Walsenburg, and all across Colorado, a growing number of individuals and organizations seeking affordable and sustainable housing have built Tiny Homes that in most cities are still without a legal existence.

Experts of city planning, political science, and life in public space will shed light on the past, present, and future hopes for the private and public spaces we occupy.

We hope to spark a transformative conversation around the issues of space in Denver – to explore alternative means of creating private spaces for all those living without, and public spaces where people can be human.

1-4pm, Construction of “Conestoga Hut.” Conestoga Huts are super simple micro-housing units, designed by Community Supported Shelters in Eugene, OR, that are cheap and can be built in a day. Eddie Maestas Garden (former “Triangle Park”) at intersection of Park Ave/Lawrence/Broadway

4-5pm, Tiny Home Open House, along 24th and Curtis

5pm-8pm, The Struggle for Space Event, at Platte Forum (2400 Curtis St)

-Art by Reach Studio artists (for sale)

-Music by the incredible Laura Goldhamer

-Presentations by Chad Kautzer – professor of philosophy, Billie Bramhall – long time city planner, Ibrahim Mubarak – founder of Right to Dream too all the way from Portland OR, and experienced experts on living in public space.

-Plus…one of the tiny homes we recently completed will be hanging out on 16th St Mall (16th and Arapohoe) the whole week before the event (July 12-17) – Drop by and check it out!

Put on by Denver Homeless Out Loud

In collaboration with…

Reach Studio, Right to Survive, Good Thieves Press

Part of the Biennial of the Americas