DENVER (KDVR) — Residents and business owners in parts of downtown Denver say certain blocks have become increasingly unsafe, with crowds gathering on sidewalks and in intersections — sometimes engaging in what appears to be open drug use.
FOX31 visited several of those areas, including sections of the Ballpark neighborhood and stretches of Colfax Avenue, where people were congregated in large groups.
Mike Johnson, street team director with the Denver Dream Center, said what many are seeing is part of a long-standing cycle.
“We call them open-air drug markets because that’s where large gatherings populate,” Johnson said. “They take advantage of our service providers downtown, because we are where all the people that are using the drugs go to.”
Johnson said these hotspots have shifted locations over time — moving as enforcement efforts increase.
“They’ve been here for years,” he said. “They used to be over on 22nd and Lawrence, then over 21st and Larimer. Now it’s by the post office — as we do stuff to get rid of it, they just move around the city.”
The Dream Center’s outreach team is on the ground every day, offering food, recovery resources, and referrals to people in need. Johnson says most of the people gathered in these areas are struggling with mental health or addiction.
“Almost every one of them is mental health and drug addiction,” he said. “And it just keeps them out on the streets until sometimes it’s too late.”
The Denver Police Department told FOX31 it is aware of ongoing narcotics activity in the area and continues working alongside outreach teams to address safety concerns.
As crews prepared for the Dream Center’s weekly Thursday night community dinner, Johnson said volunteers are always needed — and that lasting change will require a combination of enforcement, outreach, and coordination.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
