Many Coloradans will agree that fair access to housing is a major problem in our state, and the majority consider it a crisis. Coloradans also agree that something needs to be done to address the housing crisis and ensure every Coloradan has safe shelter to stay in each night.

However, placing the responsibility on one group of people, who are disproportionately impacted by the economic issue that is the housing crisis, is not the right way to address it. That is what The Gazette did in its Nov. 16 editorial, “Accountability for Aurora’s homeless.”

When discussing the city of Aurora’s housing crisis, and a proposal to create a new multimillion-dollar campus to help Aurora’s unhoused population navigate support services, The Gazette’s editorial board ignored the fact there is a lack of adequate and appropriate services available to the unhoused population in Aurora. It instead segmented the population into those the author deemed as deserving of help, and those the piece wrongfully claims are houseless because it is their “lifestyle choice.”

The reality is the specific circumstances that may have led to someone becoming houseless can be complex. It is wrongly believed to be a choice when that is often not the case, and no matter the circumstances — they should never be a prerequisite for receiving assistance during this crisis. Dividing people who are unhoused into categories of deserving or not deserving of help dehumanizes and stigmatizes a vulnerable population in need of housing, shelter, and mental health services.

People who are unhoused are our neighbors, not our plight. They are humans, friends, and family, who have navigated systems in a society that dismisses their dignity and are not seen as those of us who are housed get to be seen.

That is why it is imperative that the focus not be on “holding people who are houseless accountable” but on the solution, on what will help more Coloradans find stable housing, a living wage to allow them to keep it, and other supportive services that will help them rebuild their lives.

Data proves housing-first models work. We have seen its continued success in cities across the nation, including Denver. The Denver Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond initiative (Denver SIB), launched in 2016, is a testimony to the effectiveness of the housing-first approach. Over a five-year period, 77% of participants remained in stable housing along with a 40% reduction in arrests, a 30% reduction in jail stays and a 65% reduction in detoxification services among participants.

Unfortunately, Aurora’s recently approved proposal does not follow the housing-first model and incorporates conditions for people to meet to access transitional housing.

When people have safe, stable shelter, a bathroom, a closet, access to real rest and the ability to cook and store food — we can reset and rebuild. When our lives are not stable, it is impossible for us to create that stability on the street.

Substance use was also a focus of the editorial’s remarks, parceling out who was deserving of support and who must fix themselves before it should be offered. Many individuals, housed or not, are not getting the support they need through the current systems which are built to “fix” people rather than support and understand those who turn to self-medication to cope and continue. This is not a moral failure of the individual; it is a moral failure of the system and those who maintain it.

Gatekeeping basic needs will never solve these issues. Ensuring a person’s basic needs are met and providing support that will allow us all to thrive should be the goal of any publicly funded program. Too many people have been left behind and lost because of failed policy surrounding people who are unhoused and use substances.

It is time we center on lived experience and data — not opinions and public perception — to find solutions.

This op-ed was originally published in the Denver Gazette.

DENVER – In a new strategic framework, The Road Ahead, released today, ACLU of Colorado has outlined a three-year roadmap to guide its efforts in advancing and protecting civil rights and liberties in Colorado.  

For 70 years, the ACLU of Colorado has remained steadfast as the guardian of liberty for all Coloradans. The organization is fighting for a state and a nation where everyone’s fundamental rights are recognized and protected — where “We the People” means all of us. 

That is why the ACLU of Colorado is engaged in an unprecedented initiative to create the strongest and most strategic organization in its history. While the ACLU will always stand at the ready to defend civil rights and civil liberties in moments of crises, it is now making a new multi-year commitment to focus proactively on three campaigns that will allow it to address the root causes of inequity and inequality.  

• The Campaign for Smart Justice will build racially equitable alternatives to policing, prosecutions, and prisons that address the root causes of harm to communities of color and shrink the criminal legal system and immigration detention system. 
• The Systemic Equality Agenda will repair the harms of systemic racism against BIPOC communities by increasing access to housing and economic opportunity and creating an inclusive democracy that protects and expands voting access. 
• The Privacy and Liberty Project will protect and expand fundamental privacy and liberty rights under Colorado law regardless of what happens at the federal level, including protections against future U.S. Supreme Court decisions taking away fundamental rights, and government overreach and threats from advancing technology. 

If, and when, the U.S. Supreme Court fails to protect fundamental rights — as it did when it overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — the ACLU will continue to advocate for justice in the U.S. Supreme Court and on a local level to ensure protections remain in Colorado. 

Its steadfast commitment to racial, immigrant and Indigenous Justice will be the guiding principles of the multi-year strategic roadmap. 

The ACLU is committed to disrupting the deportation pipeline and ending cruel and inhumane practices at immigration detention facilities. This strategic framework will protect the rights and liberties of people who are immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants and maximize their ability to fully participate in democratic, civil and social life in Colorado. 

“With the full force of our organization, ACLU of Colorado will work relentlessly to expand personal privacy, protect our constitutional right to vote and defend all our civil liberties in the courts, in legislatures, and most importantly, in our communities,” said Deborah Richardson, ACLU of Colorado Executive Director. “Alongside our communities, we can build power to overcome fierce opposition, change hearts and minds, and maximize long-term impact through this coordinated and evidence-based effort.”  

The Road Ahead is a product of an intensive, year-long strategic planning process that included multiple rounds of input from stakeholders all over the state, the Board of Directors, and ACLU staff. 

Read ACLU of Colorado’s Strategic Framework here: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/publications/road-ahead-2023-2026-strategic-framework