Denver police arrest 10 activists who built shelter for homeless people

'To quash something like that in an instant is to rob them of a dream'

Activists set up "tiny homes" in Denver, Colorado. (DHOL/Facebook)

The Denver Police department arrested 10 activists and confiscated several homes built for the homeless at Sustainability Park on Saturday.

7News Denver reports that “Denver Homeless Out Loud” activists were confronted by police and arrested on tresspassing charges while they built a small village for homeless people.

Denver Homeless Out Loud/Facebook (DHOL/Facebook)

The Denver Housing Authority reportedly filed a complaint with police saying that the activists refused to leave their property.

A crowdsouring effort by the group has raised more than $5,000 to build "affordable, sustainable" housing for Denver's homeless community. However, the collective experessed concern over finding a legal space for the homes.

According to a release from the activists on Sunday night, the housing authority recently sold tore down "hundreds of low income housing units" and has recently agreed to sell the land to a private developer "who will build multifamily housing that will support gentrification in Curtis Park but be far beyond the reach of those for whom the Denver Housing Authority is supposed to exist."

"Here in Denver homelessness is growing faster than anyone can count as housing prices rise to record levels, 4000 new people arrive in Denver each month, and the city puts millions more into jails than affordable housing. We need homes not jails," the statement reads.

Kevin Beasley, a homeless Denver resident, told CBS Denver that witnessing police destory the homes was upsetting.

“People need to have hope that they can do something. So to quash something like that in an instant is to rob them of a dream.”

The Denver Housing Authority did not return The Independent's request for comment.