Denver Seeks Proposals for Safe Parking Program
Published on February 28, 2022
American Rescue Plan Act to fund pilot program to support households experiencing homelessness living in their personal vehicles
Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from service providers interested in administering a Safe Parking program for persons experiencing homelessness in their personal vehicles. The service provider will manage site operations and provide on-site services at approved City-owned or controlled sites and/or at sites with evidence of site control for this permitted use. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds totaling $150,000 are available to pilot the program.
“We will continue to leverage every tool available to help our unhoused neighbors exit homelessness as quickly as possible,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “Together with other investments like Safe Outdoor Spaces and tiny homes, safe parking can play an important role in reducing the harms of unsheltered homelessness while bridging individuals to housing solutions.”
In alignment with City charter and zoning, sites will temporarily allow occupancy for cars, recreational vehicles, and/or other innovative mobile housing options for temporary sheltering during the public health emergency and recovery period. Once identified, a future safe outdoor parking site would be temporary.
Safe parking was identified in HOST’s Five-Year Strategic Plan as one of many strategies designed to help address unsheltered homelessness. The option to park in a legal, safe, and consistent place helps ensure that those residing in vehicles can place their focus on attending to concrete tasks to assist them in exiting homelessness.
Interested parties should submit their proposal at https://webportalapp.com/sp/home/safe_parking_rfp_application. Proposals will be accepted through March 21, 2022. A virtual, informational pre-proposal meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 4, 2022.
Denver’s long-range plan for recovery includes direct distribution of $308 million in ARPA Local Relief Funds. To date, Denver has received and allocated $154 million in ARPA funds to support city, community and business recovery efforts. Denver solicited and received feedback from over 6,200 residents, Denver City Council, city agencies, the Mayor’s Stimulus Advisory Committee, and the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Council between May and September 2021 to inform the use of the city’s first round of ARPA funds. The remaining $154 million is expected to be delivered to Denver in the third quarter of 2022. Federal law requires distribution of the funds by 2026.