The Denver “Right to Survive” initiative lays out new enforceable human rights for people experiencing homelessness and gives them new standing in court to sue when their rights are violated. It would have overturned a city law that bans resting and sheltering in public spaces. Wealthy interests out raised local supporters 23:1 to defeat the measure.
This blog post by Ben Price was posted by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund on May 24, 2019.
A week before Denver’s May 7, 2019 special election, Fox News host Tucker Carlson — the same guy who called women “extremely primitive” — urged residents to vote “NO” on Denver’s historic “Right to Survive” initiative.
Opposition to the measure (Initiative-300) was strong and well funded. The National Association of Realtors, National Restaurant Association, National Western Stock Association, energy interests and some of Colorado’s most powerful corporate lobbies mobilized over $2.3 million for the “NO” campaign, out raising local supporters 23:1 to defeat the measure.
Perhaps it’s not surprising so many wealthy one-percenters poured incredible funds in to crush the measure. It proposes something historic: new, legally enforceable, human rights for people experiencing homelessness. It would have also overturned City of Denver’s ongoing ban on resting and sheltering in public by recognizing rights to rest and shelter in a “non-obtrusive manner” on public land.
Read the rest of Ben Price’s blog at its original source HERE.