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September 19: Urban Camping Ban Ordinance Public Update

Post Date:09/28/2022 11:00 a.m.

During the May 24th City Council meeting, there was a request for the City Manager to provide weekly memo updates regarding efforts to implement the conditional emergency Urban Camping Ban Ordinance that was approved on May 17th.

City staff began operating under an Incident Command System (ICS) Model on May 18th. This Model identified three working groups as implementation efforts move forward. This Group is currently comprised of City staff from twelve City Departments / Divisions as well as our partners from Loveland Fire Rescue Authority (LFRA) and the Thomson Valley EMS (TVEMS). This group meets as a team on a weekly basis.

A successful Beta-Test notice of June 17th was followed by the first encampment clean-up on June 24th.

Please find below the Situational update for the week of September 19th, 2022:

  • Encampment Outreach / Clean-up / Enforcement Group
    • The Kings-Crossing Natural Area (KC) has been impacted by 39 unauthorized encampment sites as of 6/24.
    • The twelfth successful clean-up occurred on September 23rd that involved the continued cleaning of several large encampment sites.
      • Total encampments cleaned to date = 34
        • Current number of remaining encampments = 5
        • Encampment clean-up efforts will continue to be a challenge until more shelter space comes on-line involving 16x16 humanitarian tents at the Loveland Resource Center
      • Total Camper Relocations to date = 40
    • More encampments in the KC area are scheduled to be cleaned on September 30th.
    • Once all of the Campers within KC have been relocated, this area is being planned to be closed to the public for a robust evaluation and thorough final cleaning.
      • The gravel parking lot at Fairgrounds Park is now signed as no overnight parking allowed and being monitored regularly by PD
      • Perimeter fencing is now installed at this parking lot.
    • The Cottonwood Run Natural Area (CR) has also been impacted by unauthorized encampment sites.
      • The third successful clean-up occurred on September 23rd that involved the cleaning 1 encampment site.
      • Neighboring property owners are being contacted about City removal plans so as to obtain permission to access their private roads/paths to haul out encampment items.
      • Current number of remaining encampments = 4
      • More encampments in the CR are scheduled to be cleaned on September 30th.
    • The Rivers Edge Natural Area (RENA) has also been impacted by unauthorized encampment sites.
      • The number of estimated encampments are 4 and may be decreasing as field observations indicate that some individuals may have vacated the property.
      • RENA will be a focus area for early October.
    • Team continues to fully communicate with campers regarding the planned clean-up activities and coordinate with all the Departments that will be involved with the step-by-step details of the process.
    • TVEMS provides individual transport to the Motel during encampment clean-up days.
    • LFRA continues to inspect Motel rooms to confirm presence of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and portable fire extinguishers prior to occupancy.
  • Transitional Day / Overnight Shelter & Storage Group
    • Two local Motels have now been contracted for initial sheltering to accommodate the effort for timely encampment clean-ups, storage and removal in the Kings-Crossing area.
      • The upcoming 9/16 encampment clean-up and camper relocation effort will begin the winding-down of the extensive use of local motels.
    • The Loveland Resource Center (LRC) located at 137 S. Lincoln is now fully activated:
      • Day Shelter operations are Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm
      • Overnight shelter is open with all-week operations from 7:00pm to 8:00am to serve up to 20 individuals
      • Four 16x16 humanitarian tents have been placed in the back lot of the LRC.
      • Goal is to activate these four tents on 9/30 to serve up to 20 individuals. This might be a stretch as supply chain / delivery issues are still causing uncertainty.
      • This will increase overnight sheltering capacity to 40 at the LRC.
    • Public Works / Facilities Group is fully engaged with the CPO to prep and equip the building.
  • Overnight Tent / Modular Campus Shelter Group
    • The S. Railroad Ave. location has been identified as the best candidate for a shelter site.
      • Neighborhood Outreach Meeting occurred as planned on the evening of August 10th for those in proximity to South Railroad site led by Development Services and the Library.
        • Proximately 60+ attendees filled the Erion Room at the Library
        • Majority of comments and questions did not support the tent / modular campus approach at this location
      • A larger community-wide Town Hall regarding the implementation of the City’s Emergency Unauthorized Encampment Ban Ordinance occurred on August 24th at the Rialto Theater.
        • Approximately 200+ attendees joined the event
        • Majority of comments and questions still expressed concerns regarding the tent / modular campus approach at this location
    • Facilities has ordered modular support service building (lease), modular restrooms (lease) and modular showers (lease).
    • Four additional 16x16 humanitarian tents have been delivered. Total is now six.
    • Specific humanitarian tent designed HVAC units have been delivered.
    • Bed frames, lockers and sleeping pads/mattresses ordered. Delivery around late-September. Supply chain issues are slowing this effort.
    • Continuing to refine cost associated with support services such as water, power, laundry, etc.
    • Permit applications associated with S. Railroad Site (SRS) are planned to be filed this week.
  • Encampment Ban Project Budget:
    • Expenditures and encumbrances have now fully committed all of the $500,000 supplemental appropriation.
      • Investments include transitional shelter via motels, personal property storage, personnel, equipment, services, security, tents, etc.
    • A forward-looking budget for the remainder of 2022 and 2023 has been developed via Finance and was discussed during the Council Budget Retreat on August 29th.
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