DENVER — Denver has launched a new homeless outreach initiative staffed entirely by people with histories of incarceration, homelessness or addiction, aiming to connect with individuals who have not responded to previous efforts by the city to provide shelter and services.
The Urban Alchemy CARE Team takes a non-enforcement approach to engaging people living on the streets of East Colfax Avenue, the Quebec Street corridor and other Denver neighborhoods. Team members cannot issue citations, write tickets or make arrests. Instead, they focus on connection.
“What makes us different is the fact that we’ve been there and been through this and now we’re doing the work that we do,” said Mike Johnson, the project director who leads the team. “It’s the passion that we have behind it. It’s not just a job to us.”…