Polis Urges Hotels to Provide Free Rooms During Covid

Gov. Polis sent a letter encouraging hotel and motel owners and operators to rise to the challenge in addressing COVID-19 by entering agreements to temporarily house homeless Coloradans along with some of the state’s most vulnerable. The need for non-congregate rooms is urgent, as there is a real potential for currently sheltered people to be forced into large-scale, dangerous facilities or back onto the streets.

The letter encourages hotel and motel owners to work with their local leaders to find innovative solutions on this vital effort.

“I acknowledge there are many hurdles to overcome in rising to this challenge, and I encourage you to work closely with your local leaders to find innovative solutions on this vital effort. Thank you, and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. as we all continue this effort together to protect Coloradans.”

The governor also sent a letter in response to the General Assembly, Denver City Council, and RTD Board saying that he will mobilize 250 Colorado National Guard (CONG) members to support existing shelters in the City and County of Denver with staffing shortages.

“I’d like to commend the efforts of mayors, local leaders, and community advocates to help provide additional capacity to our shelter system and assist with reducing the spread of COVID-19 among our state’s most vulnerable residents. In addition, we applaud the efforts of the private sector in helping address this issue. We hope that if more Colorado businesses do their part, we can expand access to non-traditional shelter beds for more individuals living without a permanent home.” Gov. Polis said in his letter.

The City and County of Denver are expanding their efforts in providing greater physical distancing for people experiencing homelessness. The National Western Complex auxiliary shelter for men reached capacity over the weekend, and additional space at the city’s other shelters was opened to meet demand.

The auxiliary shelter at National Western Complex served 736 people, while the city’s shelter at 48th and Colorado was opened to accommodate an additional 286 people, and Crossroads shelter served 250. Women’s shelter providers helped shelter 233 women. The auxiliary shelters allow for adequate physical distancing to reduce harm among people experiencing homelessness.

In other news related to the City’s ongoing response to COVID-19:

· Park closures: To prevent large gatherings and maintain extreme physical distancing, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment and Denver Parks & Recreation closed Civic Center Park on Saturday, April 12 until further notice. This includes the surrounding areas of Lincoln Park, MacIntosh Park, Pioneer Monument, and the Public Library lawn. The city will continue to monitor and enforce physical distancing in parks and are considering additional measures to ensure compliance in other Denver parks.

· National Guard flights: Residents should be aware that two Colorado Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters will be landing in downtown Denver during the afternoon of Tuesday, April 14. The helicopters are transporting survey teams to perform site visits for the Colorado Convention Center and other alternate care sites. Mayor Hancock and Governor Jared Polis will join the survey team, which includes U.S. Army Lieutenant General Todd Semonite, Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers (USACE).

· Resources available: Support is available for Denver residents in need of food, housing, utilities, shelter access, and more. There are resources available for businesses, people seeking employment, and assistance for elderly or handicapped citizens.

· ‘Stay-at-home’ Order: The mayor and city leaders are in the early stages of planning for how the city will begin to phase out of the restrictions in the public health order. These planning efforts prioritize the health and safety of residents and ensure that subsequent COVID-19 outbreaks do not occur. The current order is set to expire on April 30. Mayor Hancock reiterated that residents must stay the course and remain vigilant in complying with the order.

· Volunteers needed: The need for volunteers in Denver remains critical to support our residents experiencing homelessness. Denver has partnered with Mile High United Way to make it easy to volunteer. Residents who are young, healthy, and show no signs or symptoms of illness are needed to assist providers.

· Finance update: The Department of Finance continues to implement actions to mitigate the revenue impacts of COVID-19 on the city’s workforce and residents. Estimates change daily. Currently, the impact on revenues could be as much as $180 million in 2020. Sales and use taxes are the most impacted by COVID-19 and constitute $140 million of the current revenue loss estimate. The city has a three-step approach to mitigating the financial impacts including the use of reserve funding, citywide savings, and savings from agency budgets. The city is submitting requests for federal reimbursements.