Residents of encampment near Logan & 17th relocate after Denver sweep

Homeless residents near Logan Street and 17th Avenue were forced to leave the area Thursday morning.

A woman who identifies as "Jay" set up her tent near Marion Street and Park Avenue in Denver after another homeless encampment sweep took place Thursday morning near Logan Street and 17th Avenue through 18th Avenue.

"We were displaced because of a shooting that happened down there...We thought we were victims in all of this," said Jay.

The shooting happened near the site of the homeless encampment Monday afternoon and left two homeless people in the area with non-life threatening injuries.

"We thought the city might have helped us, but instead they kicked us out like we had something to do with it," said Jay.

According to the Housekeys Action Network Denver, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment also listed trash and drug use as reasons to sweep the encampment.

Dina, a resident of the encampment, feels the shooting was an excuse to kick them out.

"One of the first things that makes you move is the debris; we kept it clean," said Dina.

As the group settled in on Marion Street and Park Avenue, the mayor says the recent shooting was the second gun incident within a month in the area.

"The chief and I evaluated it, and at that time we thought we could keep the encampment safe because that person was not from the encampment," said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.

"I think they are afraid they're sleeping in a tent in the middle of the night, and it doesn't provide them access to safety," added Johnston.

However, relief is hopefully on the way as the city's plans to provide homes for 1,000 unhoused people by the end of the year remain in the works. The mayor has 11 sites in mind throughout the city.

"Some of them are hotel sites, some of them are open land for micro communities, but we are excited for the incredible work we've done with the city to help identify and work with these sites as our initial opportunities," said Johnston on Thursday.

In the meantime, Dina and Jay will make the Park Avenue neighborhood their home as they wait for an opportunity to get housing.

"There are good and bad people in all walks of life; we are not bad people because we are homeless," said Dina.

The advocacy group Housekeys Action Network says the mayor didn't give a 7 day notice like he had said he would in the past. They would like to see encampments like this remain and for residents to receive lighting and trash service.