State lawmakers, Denver council members urge governor to do more to help homeless through coronaviru

Democratic state lawmakers, homeless advocates and a handful of Denver city council members are urging Gov. Jared Polis to do more to help people experiencing homelessness weather the new coronavirus.

Among the actions the group is calling for is a mobilization of National Guard troops to help ease the burden of shelters that have been inundated because of the pandemic and are lacking in volunteers. They say shelters and homeless service providers are “severely under-resourced” and “in dire need of support and resources.”

“We believe the bold actions this administration has taken to contain the spread of the virus have been admirable, decisive and smart,” the group, which includes 18 state legislators, wrote in a letter sent to Polis on Saturday. “It is now time to take bold action to prioritize the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness and those who serve them.”

“Shelters are made to get in as many people as possible, but we live in a different world today,” said Brad Meuli, president and CEO at the Denver Rescue Mission. “…There is no social distancing inside our facility.”

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/06/denver-homeless-letter-jared-polis/