Advocates for homeless in Jefferson County see need for day center

ARVADA —Sitting on a bench in a walkway south of Olde Town Arvada known as Snake Park, Terrence Turner talked about working two part-time jobs while homeless and sleeping in the woods around Olde Town.

“Living on the streets is more expensive than having a home,” Turner, 50 said. “It cost me almost $200 to rent a motel for three days last week so we could splurge and have a roof over our heads. It’s getting harder and harder to save money.”

Turner was with his friends Scott Young, 45, and a man who goes by the moniker Flyin’ Bryan, 47. They had stories of lost jobs, fall-outs with family members, pay cuts, struggles with addiction and a lack of a support system as leading to years of living on the streets.

Like many metro suburbs, Arvada is seeing an increased presence of the homeless population.

Linda Barringer, housing supervisor at the Family Tree, said there is a severe lack of housing options for homeless people in the area. The Action Center in Lakewood and a group of local churches offer a combined 37 overnight beds in Jefferson County.

Family Tree and Arvada-based Colorado Homeless Families provide about 90 long-term supportive housing units, although they’re mainly available only to families.

Barringer sees a high need for an expanded day shelter in northwestern Jeffco, which would give homeless people a place to go that isn’t the library or a park. She said a strategic plan to end homelessness is showing early signs of success.

“People now accept the fact and believe there’s homelessness in Jeffco,” Barringer said. “It was an invisible problem for a long time but there’s more resources now, and we’re addressing the issue.”

Homeless men without a place to sleep have been known to camp out in the wooded area near Grandview Avenue and Vance Street.

Police frequently have occupants clear the encampments, and the city will soon cut brush and trees along the greenbelt to discourage camping. Next year, an RTD parking garage and eventual development on the site will remove any camping opportunities.

Arvada Police Deputy Chief Gary Creager said officers have to strike a balance between enforcing ordinances while not creating a “vicious cycle” of fines, missed court dates, jail, warrants and waste of taxpayer resources.

“It’s not a crime to be homeless,” Creager said. “They’re citizens of Arvada and we need to respect them like everyone else.”

The police department has a pamphlet with a list of local resources including housing, medical and food services to hand out in their frequent encounters with homeless people.

Young estimated about 15 people are camping in the area at any given time.

Turner and Bryan sat in front of a tribute for a friend who had been in and out of emergency rooms before he died last month from Parkinson’s disease and the affects of alcoholism.

“You don’t want to be out here; it’s rough,” Bryan said. “We’re like a band of brothers just trying to find a safe place to sleep every night.”

Austin Briggs: 303-954-1729, abriggs@denverpost.com