Services NOT Sweeps in Broomfield, Colorado

Services NOT Sweeps in Broomfield, Colorado

Started
July 27, 2021
Petition to
City and County of Broomfield Broomfield City Council
Signatures: 226Next Goal: 500
Support now

Why this petition matters

Started by Marrton Dormish

Attention fellow Broomfield residents and those with strong ties to our community:

In case you haven't heard, social media posts about tent encampments have prompted recent city council discussions around enforcement, policy and potential short-term “solutions" regarding people staying in tents in Broomfield.

According to the best recent estimates and metrics, about 200 people are currently unhoused in Broomfield (and more than half of them have long-term connections to our community). They include people sleeping in their vehicles, people paying day-to-day for a motel room, people doubled or tripled up with friends or family, and perhaps a dozen people sleeping outside in tents or other structures not meant for human habitation. While this final group of people embodies the tip of the proverbial iceberg in regard to the full spectrum of our community's housing needs, and while they lack certain means, they are still a part of our community.

I'm glad to report that city council recently chose not to invest staff time toward a possible amendment of our city code that would institute a full prohibition of encampments in all of Broomfield. Such a ban is not fully off the table, however. A full Broomfield camping ban would be inappropriate and counterproductive for our community for many reasons, including the following three:

  1. It won't work --- Other area camping bans have failed to deter “illegal” encampments. Instead, they create an oppositional relationship between city authorities and vulnerable people, who, due to a lack of shelter beds and other factors, have nowhere else to go. See, for example, the numerous unauthorized encampments that dot Denver's streets in spite of its camping prohibition.
  2. The plights of our most vulnerable neighbors are signposts --- There have been people in mostly invisible encampments in Broomfield (including in parks and open space) for more than a decade. Now that a few have become more visible and begun to challenge our sensibilities and assumptions, we have an opportunity to examine and not dismiss, deny or reject the deeper social and economic realities and challenges that the presence of people in tents bring to light. We ignore these signs at our collective peril.
  3. More hardship is likely --- Although the CDC has now extended its COVID eviction moratorium until Oct. 3, this challenge is not going away. More and more of our neighbors continue to find themselves on the verge of becoming unhoused, and the eviction moratorium won't last forever. The best response to the likelihood of more local residents in grave need is SERVICES NOT SWEEPS. Significant municipal investment in housing vouchers, homelessness prevention and affordable housing programs is what is called for in this moment, not further restrictions and prohibitions that will needlessly drain the city's enforcement and staff resources.

If you're signing on as a petitioner, please also consider:

  • Forwarding this petition in support of “services not sweeps” to members of your congregations, neighbors, coworkers, friends and family, and encourage them to do the same.
  • Getting involved in the ongoing dialogue about “affordable housing” in Broomfield. This is an "Us" issue, not a "Them" one! City council is planning a special study session on homelessness and housing instability for Tuesday evening, Sept. 7. Save the date and plan to attend! No expertise required --- just a strong connection to Broomfield and a concern for all our neighbors.
Support now
Signatures: 226Next Goal: 500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • Broomfield City CouncilCity and County of Broomfield