Residents press Grand Junction council to stop encampment sweeps and reopen Whitman Park

Multiple residents used the public comment period at the Jan. 15 Grand Junction City Council meeting to urge changes to how the city handles people living outdoors and to call for reopening Whitman Park.

Kean Hyland, who identified himself as a member of the Mesa County Democratic Socialists of America, said the city has repeatedly displaced people experiencing homelessness: "The city has been pushing unhoused people around and continues to do so, and it is only hurting them. The city closed Whitman Park and so the people at Whitman had to move." He asked council to reopen Whitman Park and "revoke the rules and ordinances that prohibit tents and or sleeping in public." Hyland told council that shelter capacity and restrictions limit options for people on the street.

Madeline Mejia described witnessing an encampment sweep near the soup kitchen, saying police left then returned hours later and that some people who had been promised a place to stay were moved in the dark and cold: "They were ambushed in the middle of the night ... told that they had to move and leave again in the dark, freezing cold." Mejia urged the council to re-open Whitman Park and questioned enforcement that restricts tent use in winter.

Nikolai Weir delivered a more confrontational public comment, alleging the city is "waging an undisguised class war" against unhoused people and criticizing a council member by name. He accused local landlords and some council members of making conditions worse for low-income residents. City rules and enforcement practices were the target of his criticism.

Longtime resident Eric Niederkruger spoke about homelessness as an economic issue and urged the council to reconvene the community focus group that had earlier sought to address homelessness.

Council Member Kennedy responded directly to critics and to remarks that named him; he described his personal involvement with housing efforts and nonprofit partners: "I provide housing to a lot of people who'd be otherwise unhoused in our community through local non profits ... I take huge financial risks personally to do that." He invited those with questions to speak with him and listed local providers and nonprofits that work with houseless residents.

Other council members acknowledged community frustration and encouraged residents and organizations with available space to help in the near term, noting it is cold and service capacity remains limited. Council members repeatedly urged collaboration with faith groups, nonprofits and providers to expand emergency sheltering options while longer-term solutions are developed.

Speakers referenced the Colorado Right to Rest Act and raised concerns about how local ordinances restricting tents and sleeping in public interact with that law. Council did not take any formal action on policy changes at the meeting; comments were entered into the public record and referred to staff for follow up where noted.