The city of Denver has been facing what it calls a migrant crisis for more than a year. Now, as , the city is asking the federal government for extra help.
Editor Lance Benzel with The Colorado Sun told 萝莉少女 members of the state's congressional delegation are getting involved in efforts to secure more funding.
鈥淐olorado's two senators and five Democratic U.S. representatives are demanding that the federal government step up and help...put roofs over the heads of these migrants,鈥� Benzel said.
This request comes as the number of migrants staying in the city keeps rising. Nearly 36,000 migrants have arrived in the past year.
鈥淚n December (2023) alone, 144 buses dropped off migrants in the city at the pace of about 100 to 200 people per day,鈥� Benzel said. 鈥淒enver Mayor Mike Johnston says that the city has received more migrants per capita than any other city in the country.鈥�
So how are all those migrants being housed right now?
Benzel said Denver has already spent $34 million setting up emergency shelters, including renting rooms in hotels throughout the city. The Colorado Sun reports the number of migrants staying in hotels and sleeping on sidewalks surpassed 4,400 in the first week of 2024, the highest it's been in the past year.
鈥淯nfortunately there just aren't enough hotel rooms or resources to keep migrants in hotels indefinitely,鈥� he told 萝莉少女. 鈥淪ingle migrants can stay in the hotels for just 14 days, and after that, many of them have moved into tents on city sidewalks.鈥�
A tent camp outside the Quality Inn at Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street has grown to span multiple blocks and include hundreds of people. The city is planning to bus people from the camp to alternate shelters.
鈥淥ne of those shelters is in a city building and another is at a church,鈥� Benzel said. 鈥淏ut even here, the time (limit) in shelters is limited to 30 days.鈥�
As far as long-term plans, Benzel told 萝莉少女 the Denver City Council has set aside $330,000 for rental assistance.
鈥淭hat's not going to come close to housing everyone, but it will help,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he city has helped 300 people fill out rental applications so far, and 95 have found apartments.鈥�
Under this plan, migrants who have jobs can get the first month of their rent for free. People currently seeking work can apply for up to three months of rent.
Migrants in Denver who need help with housing and other needs can find out more .
