File Photo by PHILIP B. POSTON/Sentinel Colorado
AURORA | Aurora lawmakers are slated to review a measure that proponents say aligns the city’s tough no-homeless camping law with how the city actually implements it.
Under the existing ordinance, city law allows workers and police to remove homeless encampments from public spaces like streets, parks and medians without advance notice.
City employees and city council proponents of the change say that authority would remain intact under the proposed resolution, particularly in cases involving immediate safety risks.
The proposed measure, however, would direct city staff to provide most campers with a 72-hour warning before abatement, aligning city policy with what officials describe as the typical timeline already in use.
City Manager Jason Batchelor told council members during a council committee meeting two weeks ago that when encampments are reported, outreach teams first attempt to connect individuals with services, including space at the city’s Regional Navigation Campus. If campers decline assistance, arranging cleanup crews and contractors generally takes about three days, effectively creating a de-facto notice period.
Supporters of the proposal say formalizing that window would make the process more transparent and humane. Councilmember Alison Coombs said the city has overstated how quickly it can respond to complaints about encampments.
“What we’re really doing is we’re making a false promise to people that we’re going to do something faster than we actually can,” Coombs said during the March 9 committee meeting.
Proponents also argue the change could prevent homeless people from losing essential belongings during abrupt removals, particularly in severe weather.
But critics, including Councilmember Stephanie Hancock, said the proposal could systematically weaken enforcement of the camping ban and reverse the intent of the ordinance adopted last year.
“This is like Chinese water torture,” Hancock said. “This is going to go back into reverse.”
Opponents contend the city should instead invest in more resources to carry out all removals immediately as originally envisioned, rather than adjust policy to match logistical delays.
The proposal would not alter rules requiring immediate removal of encampments in hazardous areas such as highway medians and underpasses, or camps that pose immediate health or safety issues.
Aurora’s camping ban was adopted following a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed cities to enforce such restrictions without guaranteeing shelter space.
This article is a perfect example of Sentinel double-speak. Under current law, care teams already warn campers they could be evicted at any time. Councilmember Coombs’ proposal would change that by forcing police to issue a formal 72-hour notice before removing any camp. Sounds fair—until you realize what it really does: prevents enforcement. Campers can just move across the street, set up again, and trigger another 72-hour clock. The cycle never ends. Let’s be honest—this isn’t about “reflecting reality.” It’s about blocking arrests and handcuffing police, and the Sentinel seems fine with that.
Some of your homeless came from Douglas County. Douglas County likes to brag that it’s solved homelessness, yet they don’t have a single year-round overnight shelter within their borders. Douglas County is also the richest county in Colorado.
Lets be 100% accurate. DougCo gave Aurora a boatload of NIMBY money for the navigation campus so that the DougCo sheriff can shuttle all homeless they encounter to Aurora — including homeless prisoners upon their release from the county jail in Castle Rock.
Chronically strapped for cash — but unwilling to confront the root cause– the Aurora City Council behaves like a bunch of crack-addicted whores each time DougCo opens its NIMBY checkbook.
Having the DougCo sheriff shuttle homeless convicts to Aurora as standard procedure makes Aurora safer how exactly? I guess its politically incorrect to ask this.
Meanwhile there’s $45 million per year in additional sales tax revenue for Aurora just sitting in the table awaiting execution of a serious strategy on retail, dining and entertainment. Instead City Council wastes its time rearranging the deck chairs — this 72-hour change is a prime example.
Banning tents is ridiculous. Where are the people supposed to go? I think they should be forced to go into rehab/help. Many have mental illnesses through no fault of their own! And addiction changes the brain.
Let’s actually resolve the problem instead of blaming the victims.
I’ve been watching the same bums pop up behind my hotel every other week for months. No one is doing anything about them. They get told to leave and they head to another one of their spots until they get told to leave then they go to another one of their spots. It’s a revolving door of trash strewn along the roadside when the DO leave. Other states have figured out how to get them to leave. Work on that.