Colorado Springs Mayor ‘confident’ homeless camping laws could stand up in court

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After a recent ruling in Denver, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers says he's confident the city's law against homeless camping would stand in court.

On Friday, a judge ruled Denver's urban camping unconstitutional, citing available shelter beds were not always accessible to everyone who might need them.

Suthers says that's not the case in Colorado Springs.

"We do have enough shelter bed capacity and we continue to offer people who try to camp outdoors an opportunity to go into a shelter bed," the mayor said.

In 2019, shelters in Colorado Springs have more than 650 beds available to those who might need it.

The city ordinance prohibits someone from camping on public property if there's space available.

"Even in the bomb cyclone last March, we had empty shelter beds," Suthers said.

He says another ordinance passed in 2018 that prohibits camping within 100 feet of any waterway would also stand up.

"That is truly a health safety and wellness measure, trying to make sure we aren't polluting our waters," Suthers said.

The Colorado Springs Police Homeless Outreach Team is in charge of handing out citations for those who don't follow the law.

Lt. Mike Lux, with the outreach team, says his officers have handed out 30 citations for camping on public property, 249 tickets for camping too close near a waterway, and posted warning for 109 camps.

In the clean-up over the last year, 7.5 tons of trash has been picked up from homeless camps by the city's quality of life team.