Janette Taylor & Hansen Wendlandt, Nederland.

Reality: We will have a lot of homeless individuals and families living in the woods this summer, maybe more than usual.

Reality: They will be at risk of COVID, and, just like locals, some will self-isolate, and some will not. Some will own masks, some will not.

Reality: Some of these people will have lost their housing due to the COVID catastrophe, which could increase the numbers and vulnerability of the people in the woods.

Reality: There is a lot we can do to mitigate general risk, but there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that the Town Hall, Boulder County, the Sheriff’s department or the Forest Service can do to prevent people experiencing homelessness from coming to this area.

Reality: There will be people in need, in our surrounding woods, camping, with few resources and little idea how to manage their campfires.

Even though (for now) the official campgrounds are closed, dispersed camping not only cannot be closed but, should there be an attempt to close a particular camping area, that would only drive people deeper into the woods, exacerbating an already tricky public safety issue and desperately increasing wildfire risk. 

The last few years have seen a reduction in impact from camping, much due to the work of the Nederland Interagency Council on Homeless Encampments (NICHE). Since the Cold Springs Fire, they have been sending an outreach employee out to the encampments to educate and connect people to existing resources down the hill. NICHE has encouraged coordination with our various law enforcement agencies, encouraged new signage and fire safety measures, and helped many people move from the streets into homes. They have also been in regular contact with the shelters in Boulder, which has led to a more coordinated response, as they opened more summer beds so that unhoused people have more choices beyond coming to the mountains.

That progress will be met with some new challenges due to COVID-related stresses. NICHE will now be sharing public health information and more health supplies, with fewer opportunities to really connect personally with people in need. Financial implications might force more people out of homes and up to the mountains. Certainly, fewer volunteers will be as comfortable with the same outreach as has been done, due to concerns about infection. And the social stigma against marginalized people will be stronger than ever. 

What can we do to make the situation better for everyone? The Nederland Food Pantry will, as it has been for several years, ID check. Non-residents who come to the Pantry will receive a “Non-Resident Bag”, which has some short-term food, plus information about fire and camping safety.

NICHE will continue to perform outreach, meeting and talking to non-residents, to see if they can be helped with human services programs, such as housing, addiction recovery, jobs, mental health, and family support.  Also, they will continue to work with the Forest Service, Boulder Sheriff’s office, Nederland Police, Boulder County, and town of Nederland, to work for the best outcomes for our community, the forests, and people in need.

Socks and Sandwiches plans to continue, creating a safe space for residents and non-residents to meet and build relationships between them. Of course, it will abide by all Safer at Home protocols, or whatever rules will be in place this summer. That weekly event also provides a place where human service and medical professionals can meet our vulnerable visitors and help them with services and education. Groups such as the Center for People with Disabilities, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Peak to Peak Counseling, EFAA, and others have been great partners for that.

NICHE has for several years arranged for jail crews to clean troublesome campsites. For any citizen volunteers that might want to help with that, please call the US Forest Service before touching anything. Legal issues and COVID safety are important. And always be aware that needles and human waste do end up in public areas, more often from weekend warriors up to party, than from people carrying their life’s possessions on their back. 

What if a homeless camper is sick? Boulder County has been following worldwide best practices for testing and quarantine. Anyone who requests to stay in a shelter in Boulder has their temperature taken and answers a list of questions about symptoms. If they are flagged, they are moved to a facility and tested. Thus far they have done about 6800 screenings and had 2 positive tests. NICHE plans to follow that procedure as closely as we can, although there are some details to be worked out, so that Nederland receives the same support as Boulder. 

Overall, the key for getting through this summer is going to be patience, awareness, working together, notifying proper authorities with concerns, and vigilance for signs of abandoned fires. Residents can avoid vilifying non-residents by not judging by appearances, not labeling groups of people with demeaning names, and not making the assumption that non-residents are thieves or drug users. At the same time, residents should always lock their homes and cars and keep tabs on their animals and children, as summer often attracts unsavory characters, be might they someone living in the woods or even happen to be bears. 

We are blessed with a good snowpack, experienced homeless service providers, and a solid model to address issues surrounding homelessness. (In fact, there is still a bill waiting at the Capitol, to replicate the NICHE model across other areas of the state.) Still, it could be a worrisome summer in many ways, which makes the stress we are all already under with COVID, worse. Kindness, suspension of judgment and working together as a supportive community will be our best plan.

(Originally published in the May 14, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)