“But @MayorHancock changed his mind”

Mayor Hancock stood in the way of Safe Outdoor Spaces in Denver for 9 months during a global pandemic until those of us who planned, designed, and advocated for the model realized what we were really dealing with and decided we would make it happen whether he liked it or not. After nearly implementing Safe Outdoor Space on city owned land only to have Mayor Hancock back off a third time at the last minute after receiving pressure from his well-heeled backers, we engaged churches for land which is what we should have done in the first place. It’s possible Mayor Hancock has changed his mind now that SOS exists in Denver but it doesn’t exist because he changed his mind. Most politicians can only imagine things that already exist. It takes prophetic imagination to believe in a better world.

I’m just a pastor. I’m not a politician and I don’t work in government. I don’t have to worry about political donations or optics or bureaucracy. But I knew SOS was a good model before it existed. And I knew that it was more humane than sweeping people trying to survive outside.

It’s wonderful that Mayor Hancock will get on national news in support of Safe Outdoor Space now that he knows what’s right. I hope he keeps getting opportunities to be a booster for the model and that his good example spreads to other great cities just like Denver.