By Guy Page

Denver, Colorado, says it has found a way to reduce street homelessness: close homeless encampments, offer people small private homes or converted hotel rooms, and connect them with social services to help them get back on their feet.

The approach has drawn praise from an unlikely source of criticism of progressive cities: The New York Times editorial board.

In an October 13 opinion column titled “We Know How to Fix Homelessness. Look at Denver,” editorial writer German Lopez singled out Burlington, Vermont, along with Los Angeles and Seattle, as cities that have failed to regain control of public spaces occupied by homeless encampments.

Lopez argues that Denver has demonstrated something many cities have struggled to accomplish: combining police enforcement of anti-camping laws with enough shelter, housing and social services to give homeless people somewhere else to go.

According to figures cited by Lopez, Denver’s unsheltered homeless population has fallen 64% since 2023. The number of active encampments dropped by nearly half between 2023 and 2025, while large encampments containing 10 or more tents or structures fell 91%.

The New York Times described Denver’s decline in street homelessness as the largest recent drop among major American cities.

Police enforcement, tiny homes and social services

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who took office in 2023, has made ending unsheltered homelessness a central goal of his administration.

Under the city’s approach, police officers break up illegal encampments, warning occupants that continued violations could result in tickets or arrests. But officers are accompanied by social workers who help connect people with housing and services.

The city has also expanded its shelter system, including communities of tiny homes and former hotels converted into temporary housing.

At Elati Village, residents have their own small homes, with access to showers, cooking facilities and laundry. At The Aspen, a city-owned hotel, residents live in private rooms while staff help them obtain identification, find employment, receive treatment and apply for permanent housing assistance.

Residents are not subject to strict time limits on their stays, but service providers are evaluated on their success in helping people move toward more stable living arrangements.

During a police patrol witnessed by Lopez, officers encountered a homeless couple from Texas who wanted to return home but could not afford transportation. Rather than arrest them, an officer arranged for a bus ticket.

The approach combines enforcement with assistance, rather than treating the two as competing policies.

Could it work in Burlington?

Burlington has faced its own disputes over homeless encampments, public safety, shelter capacity and the use of public parks and sidewalks.

The Elati village program loosely resembles the Elmwood Avenue ‘pod’ housing, which opened in 2022 and is slated for permanent operation.

The city adopted a revised encampment policy this summer, identifying areas where camping is prohibited and establishing procedures for addressing encampments.

Denver’s experience raises a question for Burlington officials: Would stricter enforcement of camping restrictions, paired with more private shelter space and social services, reduce the number of people living outdoors?

The Denver program differs from traditional shelters in several ways. Residents have greater privacy, access to services and help finding permanent housing. At the same time, people camping illegally are told they cannot remain indefinitely in public spaces.

But Denver’s program has also required tens of millions of dollars, much of it provided through temporary federal funding that has expired. Building or buying additional facilities remains a major obstacle.

Burlington would face its own questions about available buildings, construction costs, staffing, treatment services and neighborhood acceptance.

Denver’s experience also does not establish that the same percentage reductions could be achieved in a much smaller city with different housing and shelter resources.

Critics question shelter rules and costs

Not everyone in Denver supports the city’s methods.

Homeless advocates have criticized rules at some facilities, including room inspections and the practices of shelter operators. Others worry that neighborhoods will resist new tiny-home communities.

The city also faces the challenge of helping people who remain outdoors despite expanded shelter options, including those dealing with severe mental illness or addiction.

Mayor Johnston has begun focusing more attention on connecting those individuals with treatment.

Meanwhile, the program’s cost has raised concerns among local officials, particularly as federal funding becomes less available.

Still, an independent evaluation by the Urban Institute has found a sharp reduction in Denver’s encampments.

Johnston told The New York Times he believes eliminating street homelessness is an achievable goal.

For Burlington, the central question may be whether city officials can combine two approaches often treated as opposites: enforcing laws against camping in public places while providing enough shelter and support to make leaving the streets a realistic option.