[BoulderCouncilHotline] Re: KEEP THE HOMELESS SHELTER OPEN 10/26!!!

[Firnhaber, Kurt]

Dear Verity,

I am responding to your questions related to various aspects of severe weather shelter services.  I have copied all nine city council members who may respond separately.  I am providing a staff response to your questions.

The shelter is located along the SKIP bus line. There is a free bus that picks people up Monday – Friday at 5pm at the corner of 11th and Walnut. A return bus ride is provided in the morning. This is a service that Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) contracted with RTD to provide. Without knowing the full circumstances, my guess is that the gentleman was leaving the shelter outside of that window. While the shelter does on occasion provide bus passes, they are reserved for people who are participating in year-round programs and need to get to jobs, mental health service appointments, or other needs.

Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) is communicated widely with an email that goes to many of the organizations who come in contact with people experiencing homelessness. There is also a hotline that one can call to see if SWS will be available for the night (720-663-9238). All clients staying at the shelter are informed each morning of the status of SWS for that day and evening. It is also worth noting that Homeless Solutions for Boulder County (HSBC) is in the process of providing phones to many of our unhoused community through several outreach and service organizations to help connect them with services. In addition, the information regarding SWS is updated on the city website<https://bouldercolorado.gov/homelessness/homelessness> and on the BSH website. The warming center that was opened at the Age Well West Center was an emergency shelter that was set up that day and is not expected to be open on other days. BSH has changed its daytime opening criteria to allow for more days where it will be open during critical weather conditions. There are no plans to open any shelters downtown.

If you have questions about the shelter operations, I would suggest reaching out to Greg Harms, the shelter’s director. I was so pleased to hear that you were able to raise funds to support the homeless in our community. I want to add that you might consider providing funding you collect to Harvest of Hope, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, or one of the many organizations that help people experiencing homelessness; they can make each dollar go further.

Thanks for your concern and care for vulnerable individuals within our community,

Kurt


Kurt Firnhaber
Director of Housing and Human Services
[https://bouldercolorado.gov/links/fetch/41501]
O: # 303-441-4424
C: # 303-917-0914
FirnhaberK at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:FirnhaberK at bouldercolorado.gov>
Department of Housing & Human Services
1300 Canyon Blvd  Boulder, CO 80302
Bouldercolorado.gov<https://www.bouldercolorado.gov/>





From: Verity Noble <veritynoble at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 10:27 AM
To: Ebner, Vicki <EbnerV at bouldercolorado.gov>
Cc: Council <council at bouldercolorado.gov>; HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>; Katarina Stahl-Schare <kat.schare at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: KEEP THE HOMELESS SHELTER OPEN 10/26!!!

Just following up on this as I haven't received a response.

Verity Noble

+1 347 781 0292

Book a call @ www.calendly.com/veritynoble<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calendly.com%2Fveritynoble&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7Cc33d187492df4adc9fde08d8859dd5cb%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637406260252857870%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=CtqhtLztARF7E7XG9Iu96cqilRWdfiBwzd%2FRqkWw3v0%3D&reserved=0>









On Tue, Oct 27, 2020 at 6:41 PM Verity Noble <veritynoble at gmail.com<mailto:veritynoble at gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Vicki

Thanks for letting me know all this.

We gave out $3500 worth of clothing yesterday as well as 140 burritos so it was a busy day.

My major concern is that the shelter isn't particularly accessible or welcoming.

I spoke to multiple people who couldn't get there because they didn't have the bus fare. Is there a free bus?

One guy, Jason, a veteran, had made it up to the shelter but was told he had to make his own way back downtown. On his bike with a giant bag in a ton of snow and he had just lost 2 toes to frostbite. The shelter wouldn't give him a bus pass - why is this? Do they not have passes to give out? He was in tears outside the shelter so I gave him a ride downtown.

It also seemed that few people knew about the warming shelter. I walked around and told a ton of people. Is there an outreach team to communicate services like this?

I was also highly concerned that people were left outside in well below freezing temperatures for well over an hour while they waited to go into the shelter. Staff members swapped out regularly so they didn't get too cold but homeless people who had been out all day were left, many without gloves and hats, out in the frigid temperature. One guy was then turned away for using profanity in response to people getting in his face. It's unacceptable to basically send someone to their death for swearing. On a normal night I think that rule is okay, on a night where it's 10 degrees or lower, that's basically a death sentence.

Plus another person was turned away because they hadn't gone through coordinated entry. You can only do CE over the phone and this person didn't have a phone. He'd used up his 2 nights grace period so was turned away. SERIOUSLY, when it's that cold? He didn't have a phone and is homeless, what did they expect him to do?

I see 2 immediate solutions -

1) a free bus to the shelter and back. If this already exists, a lot of people do not know about it.
2) An outreach team to communicate better what resources are out there - the warming shelter etc.

I get that there's a fine balance between making things too easy and neglecting people but what I saw yesterday was truly inhumane. There's a guy, James, in a wheelchair with MS at the bus station. He's not allowed to hang out in the bus station and can't get anywhere due to the snow so just has to wait outside.

I feel that the communication being given - that everyone is fine and looked after - is untrue.

Is there a new Severe Weather Shelter planned for closer to downtown not the 30th street one has closed down?

I'd really like to speak to someone. I'm not going to go away so it might just be easier to talk to me. I raised $3500 in 10 hours with just a couple of Facebook posts so I'm hoping I can galvanize the community to help. I think this shows that there is appetite and support from the community to help those truly in need.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing back from you.


Verity Noble

+1 347 781 0292

Book a call @ www.calendly.com/veritynoble<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calendly.com%2Fveritynoble&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7Cc33d187492df4adc9fde08d8859dd5cb%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637406260252867827%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=YQzFW7HwQ9WaTStzmwMrMMTF1E2Bjr88XnRaYxOb8NA%3D&reserved=0>









On Mon, Oct 26, 2020 at 2:17 PM Ebner, Vicki <EbnerV at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:EbnerV at bouldercolorado.gov>> wrote:
Dear Verity,


Thank you for contacting the City Council with your concern for the unhoused. While one or more Council members may reach out to you, I would like to provide you with a staff response.



The Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) season typically runs between October 1 to May 31, with the most intense weather generally occurring between December and March. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many of the ways we respond to weather and sheltering situations, and the associated closure of many of the city facilities frequented during daytime hours by people experiencing homeless are currently closed to the general public. Further complicating our system response is the COVID-19 concern of maintaining a congregate sheltering environment in the same place 24/7 and the need to continue many disease prevention protocols such as a thorough cleaning and sanitization of the facility.Taking all of this into consideration, the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) will remain open until 11:30am each day between December 1 and March 15. With the intense weather this weekend, BSH was able to provide adequate staffing to open the shelter all day (until 4pm) yesterday and until 11:30am today.



Due to the unusually inclement weather we are facing today and COVID-19 protocols restricting facility use mentioned above, the City of Boulder opened an emergency warming center today for people experiencing homelessness at the West Age Well Center, 909 Arapahoe Ave. from 1 to 4 today. The center will be supported by COVID-19 Recovery Center (CRC), Municipal Court Navigators, and City of Boulder Housing and Human Service Department staff. The warming center will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 health guidelines. Guests will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering the center and will be required to wear a facial covering and maintain social distance.  People exiting Boulder Shelter for the Homeless from last night’s service were informed of about the warming center and about other resources available to them.


BSH used a limited number of hotel rooms during this most recent cold snap (Friday night through Monday night). BSH is monitoring BSH facility capacity levels and is moving people to hotel rooms when the level of people at the facility becomes risky for certain people. The use of up to 20 additional rooms is predicated on critical weather conditions, as seen by this weekend’s use.



Severe Weather Shelter nighttime services and year-round program beds are limited, and individuals seeking shelter and services are strongly encouraged to contact Coordinated Entry at 303-579-4404 to be assessed for available services. No one seeking shelter from last night’s cold weather was turned away from BSH because of capacity.



For more information about the city’s response to homelessness, visit the city’s Homelessness webpage.<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbouldercolorado.gov%2Fhomelessness&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7Cc33d187492df4adc9fde08d8859dd5cb%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637406260252867827%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=6F6f%2F%2FVbi3I1riZ0vJo0JVVU2QlAVv%2F6g%2FU3PeD%2FCAY%3D&reserved=0>


Vicki Ebner
Homelessness Policy Manager
[https://bouldercolorado.gov/links/fetch/41501]
C: 303-518-6587
ebnerv at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:ebnerv at bouldercolorado.gov>
1300 Canyon Blvd. Boulder, CO 80306
Bouldercolorado.gov<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect-us.mimecast.com%2Fs%2FiKhvC0RDj3HGWPZ4S2A_ia%3Fdomain%3Dbouldercolorado.gov&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7Cc33d187492df4adc9fde08d8859dd5cb%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637406260252877784%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=NZVCYmXNwS5F7kAsuli0sG4tiJH82uJt87%2F18nGuqoE%3D&reserved=0>

From: Verity Noble <veritynoble at gmail.com<mailto:veritynoble at gmail.com>>
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2020 10:15 PM
To: Council <council at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:council at bouldercolorado.gov>>; HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>>
Subject: KEEP THE HOMELESS SHELTER OPEN 10/26!!!

External Sender
Hi

I am a Boulder resident and I am begging you to keep the Homeless Shelter open for the WHOLE DAY today.

It's going to be TEN DEGREES tomorrow and these 140 people have nowhere to go.

I am happy to volunteer if you need more people to run the place. I'm also happy to donate to pay other people to run the place.

There is a very real chance of hypothermia and death if you throw these human beings out on the streets.

I know you're keeping it open until 11.30am but that is not enough, please reconsider.

Verity Noble

+1 347 781 0292

Book a call @ www.calendly.com/veritynoble<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calendly.com%2Fveritynoble&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7Cc33d187492df4adc9fde08d8859dd5cb%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637406260252877784%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=ZxbCrBQjmCab8y9NhLtUgvgd2%2FFPkSmH3RiqL%2BhfeZY%3D&reserved=0>







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