Advocates say unhoused people need trash service

If you've ever walked down the street and needed to find a trash can to throw something away you may have noticed they are few and far between. A Denver advocacy group says this is what the "houseless" go through all day every day.

"Do you ever leave trash around your house? Do you ever feel too lazy to take out the trash?" asked Terese Howard an organizer for Housekeys Action Network.

She advocates for basic human rights for houseless people. Her organization recently conducted a survey that told them houseless people overwhelmingly want trash cans and trash service in encampments, and that if they had that, those encampments would be much cleaner.

"You can't say that someone is not going to use a trash receptacle when there's never been a trash receptacle there to use, so we know from experience the majority of folks will use a trash receptacle when they are available," said Howard. "We do think trash access is an important way to help keep those sites clean."

It seems new Denver Mayor Mike Johnston agrees. On Tuesday, he unveiled his homeless action plan which included what he calls trash pickups."We do think trash access is an important way to help keep those sites clean," said Johnston. "We'll have a trash pick-up planned this week to make sure some of those encampments where we have excessive trash are addressed."

But Howard says she's heard that before from the Hancock administration. She says what they actually got was sweeps where the city tossed everyone's belongings indiscriminately into the garbage. This time they want a real trash service.

"And not be what has been called that in the past," Howard said. 

She says she hopes Johnston will hear the voices of the houseless and help them keep their encampments and the city clean.

"Let's treat each other with respect. Let's have basic trash services, let's have basic hygiene needs, and let's stop chasing people from block to block," said Howard.