Thus far in the year 2016, the population of individuals considered to be chronically homeless in Colorado Springs has increased by at least a few dozen. Youth homelessness is also on the rise. And although a few positive signs are beginning to emerge for the future of those experiencing homelessness in Colorado Springs, the current outlook still seems bleak and unpromising, Perhaps most disturbingly of all, a young homeless woman was recently discovered beaten and raped under a bridge. Many continue to ask how and why these incidents occur, but the answer is both complicated and frustrating.
Over the course of several years, Colorado Springs' City Council has passed a series of ordinances superficially billed as being in the service of "public safety" but which were in fact rather blatant attempts to criminalize homelessness in Colorado Springs. The anti-panhandling ordinances, the anti-camping ordinances, and the city's most recent sit-lie ordinance have all exacerbated the issue of homelessness in Colorado Springs by making the lives of those experiencing homelessness far more difficult than they should be. Fortunately with the help of the ALCU and others the meat of many of these ordinances has been gutted, but to think City Council will not continue in its attempts to criminalize the homeless would be both naive and misinformed.
The primary reason these ordinances have increased both in their frequency and ridiculousness is because the majority of City Council values retail rights over human rights. They value economic progress over social progress. They see the poor and the homeless as degenerates undeserving of any kind of compassion, mercy, or understanding. One need not spend more than a few minutes with a homeless individual begging for change on the streets of Colorado Springs to hear patronizing declarations of "Get a job you lazy slob" or "Why, so you can blow it on drugs?"
Although I make no presumptions, it's likely that many of those who make such declarations in this city consider themselves Christians, which truly boggles the mind. I can't imagine a situation in which the Jesus of the Gospels would ever turn his back on a brother or sister in need, especially with an expression of such contempt as the modern passerby. I can't help be reminded of the Gospel of Matthew in which it is written, “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
Unless drastic solutions, based on the principles of compassion, mercy, and togetherness are devised to solve Colorado Springs' homeless crisis, our current situation will only continue to worsen. The time is now to begin repealing Colorado Springs' anti-homelessness ordinances, allow for temporary encampments, and begin to move towards permanent housing for Colorado Springs' homeless population.