March for Homes, Rights, and Dignity

We want housing. Or a tiny home would at least be nice. Or even just a tent for now. At the very least let me use my blanket.

When: Saturday December 15th 10am

Where: Across from the Triangle at Lawrence and Park Ave – to End at City Hall

Two weeks after the community sent a letter to the Mayor and held an action at City Hall demanding an end to the insane sweeps, there has not even been a reply from the Mayor. Sweeps are still rampant across the city, under the direction of Mayor Hancock. Police, and now police cameras, are stationed at the Triangle and other areas people gather to survive – waking people up and moving them along the minute they lay down to sleep. Many people have been pushed from place to place around the city every day. People are losing opportunities for housing due to case managers being unable to find folks scattered in the sweeps. People are freezing with no protection from the cold. Lives are at risk.

This insanity and inhumanity must end.

The community will again join in action on Saturday December 15th 2018 unless our demands are met. We will march from the Triangle, where countless people have lived without housing for years until the City sweeps everyone out, to City Hall to bring the cry of the people to the Mayor. We will carry models of housing, tiny homes, tents, and blankets to represent the housing we want most and basic protection we are asking we at least be given now in our immediate emergency need for survival and dignity.

Here are our demands with further detail on how the Mayor can immediately take these steps:

• Stop the sweeps – Cease enforcement of the Unauthorized Camping Ban ordinance 38.86.2 (i.e. Survival Ban)

• Stop taking people’s blankets and property – Comply with the US Constitution in resolution of the active Class Action Lawsuit Lyall vs City of Denver. “
• Provide land and legal variance for tent dwelling for people without homes – Adopt and modify one of the countless models for designated and non-designated tent and vehicle dwelling around the country. See Seattle’s Transitional Encampment zoning law which creates legal code for tent and vehicle dwelling. And see Indianapolis’ Encampment response policy which requires encampment residents be given an open and attainable housing option before individuals can be swept. (These codes and policies can be immediately implemented by the Mayor under a “state of emergency” as similarly done in other US cities).

Join us Saturday December 15th 10am at Lawrence and Park Ave. March for homes, rights, and dignity.