Aurora tackles homelessness with ‘tough love’

A homeless camp near a ramp at Interstate 225 and Parker Road in Aurora on March 29, 2022 (KDVR)

AURORA, Colorado (KDVR) – Aurora City Council members have passed several proposals to end homelessness with a “hard-core” approach.

City leaders recently estimated that about 300 people are homeless in Aurora.

Under the proposals passed Monday, authorities would crack down on camping bans in the city, particularly along Interstate 225. People who violate camping bans could potentially receive a ticket and a court date. If the person fails to show up for their scheduled court date, they could be arrested.

Another proposal calls for the creation of a program with the court system called HEART (Housing, Employment, Addiction, Recovery and Teamwork). The program would be for homeless people accused of minor offenses. Once they are on probation and meet specific court requirements, all charges would be dropped.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the combination of the two plans will “make it untenable for our homeless people to remain on the streets without shelter, while at the same time providing them with the necessary resources through the new court to help them.”