Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

Homeless steer clear of DNC chaos

Many quit usual haunts for quiet parks, shelters

Denise Malan

Published August 27, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

Text size  
Sean Porter rests Tuesday at Metropolitan Community Church of the Rockies, 980 Clarkson St., where the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Quiznos hosted a free lunch. The coalition also will host events this week to register homeless people to vote.

Photo by Brian Lehmann / The Rocky

Sean Porter rests Tuesday at Metropolitan Community Church of the Rockies, 980 Clarkson St., where the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Quiznos hosted a free lunch. The coalition also will host events this week to register homeless people to vote.

More Local News

More stories »

Turns out, Denver's homeless don't need those movie tickets and museum passes to distract them during the Democratic National Convention.

So far, at least, they have mostly cleared out of busier DNC event spots, such as Civic Center, to take advantage of extended shelter hours and quieter parks around the city, homeless advocates reported.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless ditched plans to hand out 500 movie tickets and passes for the homeless to visit the Denver Zoo, museums and other cultural centers. B.J. Iacino, the group's director for education and advocacy, said the plan had been "horribly misconstrued."

Museums and other organizations around town regularly donate tickets for the coalition to distribute among the homeless, Iacino said. But the DNC plan caused a public flap, and a volunteer told the Rocky in July that it "sounds like another way to get rid of them."

The coalition insisted it wasn't but abandoned the plan, sticking instead to hosting a lunch Tuesday and three events this week to register homeless people to vote and to raise awareness about homeless issues.

Jerene Petersen, who oversees the Denver Street Outreach Collaboration, a joint project of the city's homeless service groups, spent hours Monday and Tuesday visiting shelters and walking the streets with about 20 other workers to ensure the homeless are aware of the convention and that help is available.

"People are feeling pretty comfortable," Petersen said.

Richard Mitchell, 50, stood on 22nd Street near Curtis Street and Broadway Tuesday afternoon, holding a cardboard sign that read, "Welcome to Denver. Need help with bus fare and food."

He said he felt somewhat limited in where he could go; bus station staff people who normally let him hang out or use the restroom now are asking for bus tickets. The heavy police presence and protesters downtown also deter homeless people from going to favorite hangouts, he said.

As for the delegates and other out-of-towners: "They're no problem yet," Mitchell said. "They just don't tip."

Iacino and representatives of other homeless outreach groups reported few problems through Tuesday on the second day of the DNC. The Denver Rescue Mission and other shelters added overflow beds and opened during the day to give the homeless a place to cool off, rest and watch news about the convention.

Denny Thompson, director of communications for The Gathering Place day shelter for women, said closed streets and changes in bus routes were causing problems for some women making their way to the shelter, especially those with disabilities, luggage to carry and children to tote.

"I haven't heard any of our clients say they feel displaced, but many of them certainly feel inconvenienced," Thompson wrote in an e-mail. "Most of our women are trying to stay away from the protesters and chaos that is happening downtown. Trying to stay invisible is a safety mechanism that our clients use to avoid harm when they are on the street."

The Gathering Place also is having trouble finding motels to honor vouchers they give to women for emergency shelter. One motel even cleared out all its residents on vouchers, sending them to churches that have opened their doors during the convention, Thompson said.

Rik Kohrumel, a homeless man who volunteers at the Denver Rescue Mission's Lawrence Street shelter, said fears of many homeless about being swept out of downtown haven't come true. If anything, he said, the convention and its increased police presence have helped open some eyes.

"It is a bit of a shame that it takes something like a national convention to shed light on the homeless problems that are here," he said.

By the numbers

5,000 homeless in Denver

40% of the homeless are working

50% have at least one serious disabling condition

* Full coverage of the Convention in Special DNC Section wrapping News.

Comments

  • August 28, 2008

    12:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SL10 writes:

    They forgot to mention the last 10% are fake homeless. Funny how they forgot that percentage. Hmmm.