Neighbors concerned by growing encampment near 8th Avenue and Navajo Street

DENVER (KDVR) — Hundreds of people are estimated to be living at a homeless encampment near 8th Avenue and Navajo Street in the La Alma neighborhood.

People living in homes nearby say the camp has grown since the beginning of the year.

“It’s gotten worse in the past six months. There’s easily 300 people down there,” one neighbor said.

Despite Mayor Mike Johnston’s initiative to get unhoused people off the streets and into homes, residents feel this area is being overlooked.

“We’re always kind of on the outskirts of downtown, but we are part of downtown, both the housed people down here and the unhoused people, and I don’t feel like either of us are getting any attention from the mayor’s office,” the neighbor said. “We pay taxes. We deserve some answers on what the plan is.”

Mayor’s office: 1,300 unhoused people moved inside

According to the mayor’s All In Mile High Initiative, nearly 1,300 unhoused people have been moved inside since the mayor took office, but none of the House1000 sites are within District 3.

The mayor’s office said in a statement: “Every encampment in the City and County of Denver is a priority for Mayor Johnston and his administration, this includes the encampment near 8th and Navajo. As part of the All In Mile High initiative, we are focused on closing camps through housing. In cases of public health, public safety, right of way, or private property infringement some camps will need to be cleaned up without direct access to housing. We have not made any decisions about how best to address this encampment at this time.”

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District 3 Councilwoman Jamie Torres requested a community meeting next week with the mayor’s office, Denver Police Department and other city departments to address concerns in the La Alma neighborhood.

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