Downtown Denver Board of Directors in Support of Homelessness Resolution Sales Tax
On Tuesday, August 18th, the Downtown Denver Partnership Management Group Board of Directors voted to support the Homelessness Resolution Tax, a proposal that – if approved by Denver City Council on August 24th – would ask Denver voters to approve a .25 cent sales and use tax to support individuals experiencing homelessness on the November 3, 2020 ballot.
The proposal – which has been led by Mayor Hancock and Councilwoman Robin Kniech in partnership with Denver’s Office of Housing Stability (HOST) and homeless service providers and advocates – would generate an estimated $40 million annually, adding 2.5 cents to ten-dollar purchases beginning January 1, 2021.
This revenue stream, which would be overseen by HOST, would fund shelter and services for people experiencing homelessness, including (but not limited to) building housing and expanding rental assistance; expanding the number of shelter beds and access to 24-hour shelters and services; and providing more housing referrals and other supportive services to people living on the street.
According to the 2020 Point in Time study, more than 4,000 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Denver, a 6% increase from 2019. A key priority for the Downtown Denver Partnership is ensuring the most vulnerable residents have access to shelter, housing and resources. The Partnership has long been committed to collaborating on solutions to homelessness, including raising millions of dollars for services and shelters, advocating for supportive policies, and supporting social service organizations.
“Our commitment to supporting people in our community experiencing homelessness is a key part of our mission to build an economically healthy, vibrant, and inclusive center city,” said Tami Door, President and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, “We are proud to support this proposal and look forward to working with our public, private and nonprofit sector partners and the downtown community to continue to find ways to ensure our neighbors experiencing homelessness are well-supported.”
Downtown Denver Partnership Members are asked to contact their City Council representatives prior to Monday, August 24th at 5 p.m. to encourage their vote in favor of referring this measure to the November 3rd ballot. Join us in showing the support of the downtown business community by letting them know you’re a member of the Downtown Denver Partnership. The Partnership will continue to provide updates on this measure.
Click here to read more about the proposed Homelessness Resolution Tax.