City crews clear out more encampments

City crews cleared out more encampments along Boulder Creek on Thursday.

Boulder spokeswoman Shannon Aulabaugh confirmed crews cleared out encampments between Sixth and Ninth streets, along Arapahoe Avenue.

City crews cleared out encampments Wednesday in the area of Broadway and Arapahoe Avenue.

Officials said encampments from Eben G. Fine Park to Boulder High were given 72-hour notices to vacate on March 17.

Police and Boulder Valley School District security have increased patrols and security in downtown Boulder after a series of tent fires and propane tank explosions along Arapahoe Avenue in recent weeks.

The issue also attracted the attention of Boulder City Councilwoman Nicole Speer, who sent an email to the Boulder City Council Hotline asking to discuss the matter.

“Could we please schedule some time at an upcoming regular meeting to discuss the issue of exploding propane tanks downtown, and policy changes we could implement relatively quickly to address it?” Speer wrote.

“I greatly appreciate all the work our staff are doing to address this issue and I would like to know if there are some policy tools we could bring in to facilitate their work (e.g., an ordinance regulating the purchase of propane tanks). This is a dangerous situation for everyone involved, and our high school students and teachers shouldn’t be further traumatized by exploding propane tanks, especially after the recent active shooter threats at Boulder High.”

While city officials said clearing out encampments is a last resort “when occupants refuse to vacate and resist homeless outreach services,” advocates have said the clearouts simply force the unhoused to move from place to place with limited shelter being provided by the city.