Issue Position: Public Safety

Issue Position

First, before all the things that make our communities vibrant with parks and public events and trails, we have to feel safe. In the past few years the problems with transients in Loveland have escalated and more traditional methods of working with this varied and problematic population have been less effective.

In Loveland we have designed the services that we can offer to those experiencing homelessness around trying to serve them where they
are. We no longer write tickets that carry a monetary fine. Instead folks are given an assignment to one of an array of classes held at our House Of Neighborly Services, classes on Interview Skills, Household Finance or Job Skills, among others. Several people experiencing homelessness in the past couple of years have taken advantage of this hand up and have found work and housing and are on their way to successful reintegration into the community.

I will be offering a bill this session to address this very need. The Colorado Transient Taskforce Bill will be modeled after what we are doing in Loveland and will create a grant program for communities that have seen similar rises in the number of homeless and transients and are willing to undertake a program to meet those individuals at their level of need.

The Transient Taskforce would help communities leverage all their resources, Law Enforcement, Municipal/County Court, and Municipal/County Social Services. Finding ways of helping individuals that want to be helped and making sure that we have the resources available for everyone who needs help is essential in combatting issues in the homeless community.

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