City Of Boulder Clears Homeless Encampments

BOULDER, CO — The city of Boulder cleared multiple encampments from the 9th Street Bridge to Broadway over the past five days.

Sister City Plaza, in front of the municipal building, was the last encampment that was cleared Friday. Around 20 people were living in the plaza, which some had dubbed "Occupy Boulder." Six of the campers accepted coordinated services to help them out of homelessness, and several accepted a ride to the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, the city said.

"All personal property that people wanted to keep but could not move is being stored for their safekeeping and eventual return," the city said in a news release.

Many of the encampments in Boulder and Denver's metro area have been deemed "high-hazard" because of rodents, needles and diseases. Boulder city workers found methamphetamine, needles, propane tanks, large hatchets and knives, multiple five-gallon buckets of human feces and truckloads of trash, the city said.

Temporary fencing went up around Sister City Plaza that will remain in place until all biohazards are removed and the area is deemed safe, officials said.

The city began planning the cleanup of the sites in February. Their plan involves housing and human service employees, park operations staff and police, who "come together to provide a balance of compassion, outreach and enforcement," the city said.

"All of the sites that have been cleared received both soft notices and a more official notice, urging residents to participate in services or voluntarily demobilize."

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“This is such a challenging issue for Boulder and cities around the country,” Boulder City Manager Jane Brautigam said in a statement.

“Many safety nets for individuals have been eroded. It is clear, however, that the kind of conditions these camps create are neither healthy nor safe. I believe careful planning and measured response achieved a peaceful result under very difficult circumstances. The city will continue to balance compassion with enforcement of local ordinances. I thank my city colleagues and their private sector partner, ServPro, for conducting this important work.”

The city considers encampments an ongoing challenge and expects new locations to emerge. There are also other existing locations that need to be addressed over the next several weeks, officials said. Community members are encouraged to report campsites using the Inquire Boulder website and choosing the topic that says “encampments.”

"Community members can also help by resisting the urge to give money to people experiencing homelessness in Boulder," the news release states.

"Year-round sheltering programs provide residents with meals, showers, and other basic needs, and organizations such as Harvest of Hope and Bridge House’s Community Table provide anyone who is hungry with food and water. Additionally, the City of Boulder has made drinking water, hand washing stations, and restrooms available in public spaces.

"The city strongly encourages the Boulder community to donate to area nonprofits who serve the unhoused rather than providing money or food directly. In this way, donations will go further in aiding people experiencing homelessness while reducing the likelihood of this money being used for alcohol, drugs, or other non-beneficial items.

"While there are many organizations that provide help to the unhoused, including many faith-based organizations, the following agencies provide the bulk of services and would be grateful for financial support: Harvest of Hope, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless and Bridge House."