Tent cities are gone, but homelessness is not.
Colorado Springs’ camping ban has eliminated the most visible signs of homelessness, but there are dozens or hundreds of homeless people (depending who you ask) still out there. They’re just doing a better job of hiding these days.
Read this previous post about the issue.
One of the easiest ways for the public to get involved in battling homelessness is through the Come Out of the Cold meetings, which typically feature many of the police officers and agencies who deal with homelessness daily. Here’s the info on the June 21 meeting, straight from the horse’s mouth:
“After three months of enforcing the No-Camping Ordinance, the tents are gone! But where did everybody go? Many got a bus home, some are staying in motels, but more than half those camping outside in March are still outside – just hiding their camps better than they used to!
Citizens interested in helping find solutions for our homeless neighbors are invited to the fourth in a series of forums where we will assess the impact of the ordinance and compare notes on how various Action Teams have fared – and where we go from here. Join us 5:30-7:30 p.m. June 21 at the Penrose Library Carnegie Room, 20 N. Cascade Ave. To RSVP, contact Steve at (719) 632-6189 or econjustice@ppjpc.org .”