We are human beings!’ - Community Calls for End to Terrorization of Houseless People on the Streets

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From Housekeys Action Network Denver

Contact: [email protected] | 701-484-2634

Monday, March 2nd, the community will be delivering a letter to the Mayor signed by 30 organizations calling on him to end the terrorization of houseless people on the streets.

Join us outside City Hall (1437 Bannock St.) at 3:30 pm or inside until 5:30 pm. We will be delivering the letter to the Mayor and speaking to the City Council.

Since Johnston ended the ‘House 1000’ initiative in Dec 2023, there has been a 150% increase in aggressive police enforcement just in ticketing of anti-houseless laws. This does not include the vast majority of enforcement, which is done through move-on orders and intimidation.

The hostile enforcement includes police approaching unhoused community members in an aggressive and menacing way, often grabbing and taking houseless people’s property right in front of them and maliciously destroying their personal property, calling them names, and other forms of abuse and terrorization.

The City has created a constant stress environment, and the aggressive, unprofessional, and often hostile enforcement has caused compounded trauma and direct injury to unhoused community members.

Houseless people are traumatized, tired, afraid, cold, suffering…from this treatment. They feel dehumanized and debased.

This enforcement includes telling people to move when they are simply standing on a public sidewalk, taking property from public spaces with no notice, and other violations of people’s constitutional rights.

We have interviews with 50 houseless people speaking about this street terrorization on our HAND Instagram page. You can hear community members share their stories to understand what is happening and how they are being impacted.

This inhumanity must stop. In the words of many houseless people, ‘treat us like humans.’

Contact: [email protected] | 701-484-2634