TIME TO DECLARE A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY ON HOMELESSNESS

Press Release

December 8, 2022

DENVER – Denver Mayor Candidate Trinidad ‘Trini’ Rodriguez today proposed that one of his first acts as Mayor would be to institute a state of emergency response to manage the unhoused crisis in Denver with specific disruptive and transformational proposals to address the crisis. 

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In declaring a state of local emergency, the Mayor of the City and County of Denver may exercise some or all of the powers allowed by the State Constitution, the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act (C.R.S. 24-33.5-701), the Charter and Ordinances of the City and County of Denver, and Chapter 16 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code during a state of local emergency. As a result, the declaration of a state of local emergency could free up emergency related resources which could include more state or federal funds and access to programs that have ties to state or federal funding. 

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Under Trini’s state of local emergency proposal, the city would identify a location and build a temporary field treatment center employing many of the similar strategies the City developed to prepare for a catastrophic COVID surge. 

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Under such a scenario, the Mayor could deploy qualified mental health clinicians to admit persons who are of danger to themselves and/or others either voluntarily or involuntarily. 

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Trini believes working with Denver’s Legislative delegation the City can adopt laws that enable involuntary holds to be used in Colorado to support the completion of the standard of care for mental and substance addiction disorders. 

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“My approach is informed by the experience and feelings I had at 11 for my godfather when I realized what it meant that he was homeless with addiction.” Trini said. “I remember the first hope and wish that popped into my head: that wherever he is, someone in that city will protect him from himself and from anyone who might do harm to him if he is unable to defend himself”.

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Trini also has a long history in working to address issues of the unhoused serving as a community leader with the Downtown Denver Partnership for more than 12 years including as Chair. He has also worked with the Denver Housing Authority for more than 13 years, including as Chair; homeless youth advocates at Urban Peak; the City of Denver’s Housing Advisory Council; and with the committee that developed Blueprint Denver. 

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According to the Denver Medical Examiner's Office, there were 168 total deaths among people experiencing homelessness between November 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021, up 12 percent from 2020 and 83 percent over the last five years. 

In addition, Trini proposes: 

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• Admitting individuals to voluntary navigation centers, which unhoused providers and Denver are working to build as we speak and have a track record of success in places like Houston and the Bay Area. 

• Support the transition of people when they are stabilized to our strong ecosystem of providers to support additional phases of healing and recovery and collaborate with providers in the offering of other voluntary options. 

• Trini would relocate his office to this field treatment center for as long as a single person is undergoing treatment. 

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