Election

Denver Democrats endorse Right to Survive

Randy Russell sits beyond a police line. "Homeless sweeps" on Nov. 15, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)homeless; sweeps; denver rescue mission; police; justice; kevinjbeaty; denver; denverite; colorado; camping ban; right to rest;

Donna Bryson

Feb. 16, 2019, 1:34 p.m.

The central committee of the Democratic Party of Denver has endorsed the Right to Survive initiative that will appear on ballots in May.

In a posting on its Web site Friday, the party said a resolution was adopted at a Feb. 9 meeting affirming that “the Democratic Party of Denver believes the Right to Survive proposal … is the right approach to helping those experiencing homelessness.” It added the party was committed to working with the city to address homelessness.

The proposed initiative backed by advocates for the homeless would overturn the city’s camping ban by establishing a “right to rest” protected from the elements in public. It also calls for people to be able to eat and share food in public places where food is not prohibited, to shelter in legally parked motor vehicles and “to have a right and expectation of privacy and safety of or in one’s person and property.”

Critics say the proposal is too sweeping.

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