Denver extends contracts for two homelessness micro-communities, postpones one

Denver will continue to operate at least two micro-communities for homeless people after the City Council extended their contracts Monday.

The sites are temporary communities using quick-to-build structures and on-site services. They’re intended as a way to move people living in encampments into safer, more stable housing while the city works to connect them with permanent housing.

The sites are part of Mayor Mike Johnston’s All in Mile High homeless initiative, which aims to bring 2,000 people inside this year and 2,000 into permanent housing, he announced in January.

The city has three of the micro-community sites so far, though more may be eventually built.

“Additional sites are not off the table but our priority for 2025 is on accelerating housing placements from current locations and then, as a result of that freed up capacity, getting even more people off the streets,” said Jon Ewing, spokesperson for the mayor. “Long-term stability is the goal.”

Contracts for two of the sites, in the Golden Triangle and Central Park neighborhoods, were extended until the end of the year Monday, costing a combined $3.1 million. A third contract for a site on South Santa Fe, which costs another $1.8 million, was postponed until next week.