Originally posted by BizWest, June 23, 2025.
I was meeting with some local restaurant owners on one of their service patios and listening intently as they lamented some of the conditions that are making it difficult for businesses in Boulder, when we heard the first bellow. It was a guttural call from down the street, projecting a somewhat threatening tone. As I turned to see what was causing the distressing sound, I fixed on a shirtless man sitting in a streetside bench, leaning forward and continuing to holler as pedestrians timidly passed by.
“He’s been there all week,” said one of the restaurant owners. “In one night, he’ll easily scare off $300 in sales. I’ve asked the city to respond, and I’m still waiting for them to do something.” That evening, city staff ultimately removed the bench as a surrender to the discomforting situation. No bench, no place for the troubled individual to sit and no offending noise. At least not there . . . but probably somewhere else nearby.
This is a reality that plays out frequently across Boulder and in many other urban communities. A person in obvious mental distress acting in a manner that can invade our sense of security and/or create an uncomfortable environment…