DENVER -- Over the last several months, different Denver communities have noticed an increase in homeless people.
Pete Pellerin has lived in the Baker neighborhood for 15 years and says he sees people living in tents or their cars. He says what really frustrates him is the trash and human feces in the alley behind his home.
"Just everything, every kind of trash you can imagine. From VCR’s to bottles with urine, feces, you name it. When you’re picking up feces out of your alley, that’s a problem."
Pellerin says some of his neighbors have gotten so fed up with the trash and human waste, they've started cleaning it up on their own.
"I'm trying to maintain my empathy but when people are combative with you about just picking up their own crap, I mean there's a dumpster right at the end of this alley, that's all you'd have to do."
Denver Public Works says they plan on sending someone this week to look at the alley and clean up any mess. They encourage neighbors to report future complaints to 3-1-1.
Denver Coucilman Jolon Clark, who represents District7, says they work to ensure homeless people have the proper resources.
"While we have no direct authority over services or enforcement, we work closely with Denver Human Services, Project Homeless Connect, and the Denver Police Department Homeless Outreach Team to connect people experiencing homelessness with services and to connect constituents who are experiencing issues in their neighborhood with the Police Department and Neighborhood Inspections for enforcement.”
The city also says outreach teams have been alerted about the Baker neighborhood situation and will be examining the situation.
