Several speakers used the council's public-comment period to criticize Denver’s homelessness strategy, allege failures at some contracted programs and urge the City Council to exercise stronger oversight of the executive branch and service partners.

Brandy Majors opened with a pointed critique of city leadership, saying, “the mayor is a villain and the devil,” and accusing council members of complicity in budget decisions and layoffs she said will increase homelessness. Majors expressed concern about large budgets in some offices, questioned spending for election-related equipment and called for audits.

Justin LaShawn Paris, who identified himself with several community and advocacy groups, including Black Star Action Movement and the Reimagining Police and Public Safety Task Force, criticized the city for rising rents, vacant luxury housing, and the continued urban camping ban. “You said that we can do better. Well, you’re not doing better, Denver. You’re doing worse,” Paris said.

A speaker identifying as Moa (no last name given) criticized the city’s homeless-response contracts and programs (she referenced “the Maya high homeless initiative” and other provider-run motel programs), saying clients at certain recovery motels continue to die from overdoses and that promised services such as therapy and psychiatry were not being delivered. “If they’re not working, they’re failing,” Moa said, and she urged the council to treat the council’s oversight role as a check on the executive branch, arguing that homelessness cannot be solved with a five-year vision alone.

Discussion only: these remarks occurred during public comment; no council motions or formal votes on homelessness policy were taken during the session.

Requests and directions sought: speakers asked the council to audit budgets and contractor performance, investigate program implementation (including staffing and clinical-service availability at contracted motel sites), and reconsider timelines and program designs that speakers described as insufficiently long-term.

Clarifying notes: speakers made specific operational claims (for example, that people have died at certain motel sites and that therapists/psychiatrists were not available at a provider), which the council or staff would need to verify. Speakers also attributed causes for homelessness to layoffs and budget decisions, assertions presented as speaker observations and opinions in public comment rather than as council findings.

Next steps: No formal actions were taken during the public-comment period. Speakers called on council members to follow up with audits, staff briefings or hearings to evaluate program performance and budget decisions.