DENVER — The Inclement Weather Shelter extension at the Denver Coliseum in the city of Denver expires Saturday morning. Earlier this month, the city kept the gym open until 9 a.m. Saturday as a round-the-clock inclement weather shelter as temperatures were below freezing.
Migrants and homeless residents at several cold-weather shelters, including gymnasiums, said they were told to leave Saturday morning. Several advocacy groups have questioned why there was no second extension or why other shelters were not allowed to remain open, as temperatures are still expected to drop below zero on Saturday night.
Juan Carlos, a Peruvian immigrant, said, "One week we live in a shelter and the next week we live on the streets. ”
Carlos saw several families who had been forced to leave the gym and helped escort them to the DCC temporary residence. Carlos, who immigrated to Denver five months ago, said he was worried about other immigrant families who weren't used to the cold.
"It breaks my heart to see the kids freezing outside," Carlos said. ”
Outside Elich Gardens, Carlos and other migrants are helping some families forced to leave cold-weather shelters find warmth and tents at camps.
Cold weather shelters in Denver are closed, and gymnasium shelter extensions expire
You'll end up seeing people standing on street corners with everything they have, camping in the cold with small kids," said V Reeves, an organizer with the Housekeys Action Network Denver.
Reeves said the closure of shelters has disproportionately affected immigrant families because many are not accustomed to cold temperatures. They currently live in an immigrant family with two children.
Reeves said New York City is directing some homeless families to DCC for temporary housing.
Families can go to the DCC to do the pick-up, and then they may be taken to another family shelter," Reeves said.
On Saturday, we contacted the city** several times to ask why there was no second extension. We haven't received a response yet, but we'll keep you updated as we learn more.