HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/12/2023 - Memorandum From Rupa Venkatesh, Caryn Champine, And Meaghan Overton Re: Safe Parking Program Updates
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: September 7, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager
Caryn Champine, Director of Planning, Development & Transportation
Meaghan Overton, Housing Manager
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
RE: Safe Parking Program updates
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide background information on what a safe parking
program entails and the current state of City staff’s efforts to explore a safe parking pilot
program in Fort Collins.
Background
As part of the City’s continued efforts to reach functional zero where homelessness is a rare,
brief, and non-reoccurring experience, staff is exploring the feasibility and impact of a safe
parking program. A safe parking program would create designated parking areas where people
who are sleeping in passenger vehicles due to homelessness can safely park overnight and
receive access to sanitation facilities, case management, and other resources. Safe parking lots
are typically located on an existing parking lot of a faith-based organization and are only
occupied during hours when they would be otherwise unused.
People experiencing homelessness are already facing trauma and not knowing where they can
safely park their vehicle and sleep each night, magnifies their trauma and behaviors. Safe
parking users benefit from a safer, stable sleeping environment and access to case
management services to work towards goals and access resources. In addition, many choose to
sleep in their vehicles rather than access overnight shelters due to overcapacity issues at the
shelter, having pets, partners, children, or difficulty being in congregate settings around large
groups of people. The neighboring community also benefits from less unauthorized long-term
parking and fewer issues with litter and waste.
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The safe parking model has seen success in Colorado, most notably through the Colorado Safe
Parking Initiative (CSPI). In 2022, this nonprofit organization operated 13 SafeLots across the
Denver metropolitan area and provided reliable and safe overnight parking for 190 households,
representing 262 individuals. Of the 187 guests that exited from the program, 35% secured
temporary or permanent housing.
The nonprofit organization Hope (Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement) of Longmont
operates three safe lots partnering with three different churches. In 2022, they served 116
households with a 58% success rate – the average time a guest was able to secure housing
was 3.2 months. On average, individuals were able to find employment within 2.5 weeks of
entering the program.
What is the need in Fort Collins?
In 2022, Homeward Alliance completed 317 Vulnerability Index assessments. 47 respondents
indicated they most frequently slept in their cars. On a weekly basis, the Murphy Center
anecdotally estimates about 20 individuals or families come in with a car. In 2022, of the 321
applications Hope of Longmont received, 68 of those were from Larimer County. CSPI has also
indicated that their top 2 location requests are Colorado Springs and Larimer County. They
currently are not taking any applications until September 25 due to their waitlist.
How does a SafeLot program work?
Best practices around safe parking programs include the following aspects:
• Host Site – provides the location and sanitary services, typically a portable restroom
• Operator – provides logistics such as intake of applications, client interviews,
background checks, client interviews, and placement
• Case Management – connection to resources, working towards goal of housing
• Zoning regulations – city’s role in providing a regulatory framework through an
application process and neighborhood engagement
Below is how the CSPI and Hope of Longmont programs are currently structured and how a
pilot program in Fort Collins could potentially work.
Host Site Operator Case management
CSPI Faith-based org. CSPI Local orgs.
Hope of Longmont Faith-based org. Hope of Longmont Hope of Longmont
Potential pilot Faith-based org. Local org. Local org.
The Executive Directors for both Homeward Alliance and the Family Housing Network have
indicated interest in helping launch a safe parking pilot program in Fort Collins. The scope of the
program is unknown until host sites start expressing interest as well. So far, one church has
expressed interest in pursuing conversations. Larimer County has also expressed some interest
in participating in a regional safe parking program.
In addition, there are two churches and a nonprofit organization in Loveland that are working
towards a program to start with 2 parking lots that accommodates six vehicles and up to ten
people total. The City of Loveland recently approved land use changes to allow for this.
What are the regulatory barriers to this program?
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City staff consulted with the City Attorney’s Office (CAO) to identify the primary legal barriers to
a safe parking program. The CAO identified criminal prohibitions on overnight camping,
including overnight sleeping in vehicles, in the Municipal Code and Traffic Code as the legal
barriers preventing the current operation of a safe parking lot.
If there is support for this program, there are different ways Council can apply their authority to
remove these regulatory barriers. In consultation with CAO, Council can initiate changes to the
ordinance to permanently allow overnight camping, they can direct the City Manager to suspend
enforcement of the ordinance, or they can approve an exemption. City Staff and CAO
recommends that, should the City wish to pursue a safe parking program, City Council
temporarily exempt the pilot program from these criminal prohibitions. This is a similar approach
taken for the Marshall Fire Occupancy Exemption. If Council gives this direction, City Staff and
CAO would bring forward a resolution or ordinance authorizing the exemption. This would also
be an opportunity for Council to provide input into the regulatory framework of the exemption.
If approved, City Staff would create an application process where an applicant receives a
temporary exemption for a specific duration of time. This would be a process administered by
City Staff. For example, the application process could include the following criteria:
1) The exact location of the designated lot
2) Details about the lot’s surrounding properties
3) The lot’s anticipated operating hours
4) Plan for case management for lot users
5) Safety/security strategies for lot users as well as surrounding properties
6) Planned availability of restrooms/sanitation facilities for lot users
7) The metrics/criteria that will be used to evaluate the success of the program
8) A plan for sharing aggregate program evaluation data with the City organization
It is highly recommended that prior to an organization submitting an application, they engage
extensively with the surrounding neighborhood.
With this approach, Council can evaluate the pilot program and then consider adopting a
permanent code change and implementing an administrative review and approval process for
safe parking lots across the city if so desired.
How expensive is it run a SafeLot?
In speaking with CSPI, they estimate the following costs. Staff has not vetted these numbers
yet.
• $5,000 per lot to operate
• $1,000 per person for program dollars
o If the lot capacity is 5 people and during the year, the program sees 15 different
people, it is estimated to cost about $15,000 per year for that lot
• $3,000 per year to rent portable sanitation facilities
• $100-$300 per year for the host site to increase liability insurance
These costs are covered by a combination of sources: nonprofit organizations, faith-based
organizations, and cities.
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Next Steps
Unless otherwise directed, staff will continue to explore partnerships with faith-based
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and community members. Staff can also provide a more
formal presentation to Council if desired. If a host site is interested in applying to be a SafeLot
and neighborhood meetings start happening, staff will notify Council and begin the process to
initiate a proposed exemption resolution or ordinance.
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