At Monday night’s Aurora City Council study session, councilmembers will discuss a new “tough love” approach to homelessness — which would harshen the city’s camping ban and create a new court system for low-level offenses by homeless people.

Mayor Mike Coffman has referred to the proposed approach to homelessness as “tough love” due to its cracking down on camping in the city while addressing the root causes of homelessness in court.

Coffman announced plans for the approach on social media and will officially bring it to the council Monday night, with hopes of moving it forward to a regular council meeting for a vote.

The first ordinance, if passed at a future regular meeting, would strengthen laws against urban camping in the city, adding areas that are “Closed to Camping” to the city code, according to council documents.

In “Closed to Camping” areas, unauthorized camps can be immediately abated without prior notice. 

At Monday’s study session, Coffman will also bring forward a resolution for the new court along with Councilmember Curtis Gardner. 

The proposed resolution would establish what council documents call the Aurora HEART (Housing, Employment, Assistance, Recovery, Team) program in Aurora Municipal Court.

Homeless people who have been charged with trespassing or “similar non-domestic violence low level non-violent municipal ordinance offenses” will be eligible to participate in the court system, where they would be offered services and can use them in exchange for closure of the case, according to council documents. 

Also in study session, Councilmember Ruben Medina is bringing forward a resolution to let disabled veterans use the city’s parks, recreation and open space facilities for free.

Currently, the city gives active, disabled or retired veterans a 10% discounted membership, but the new resolution would wave the fee altogether for those who are disabled, resulting in about $92,500 in revenue loss, documents estimate.

According to the latest U.S. Census, there are 23,000 veterans currently living in Aurora, according to council documents. Of them, 30%, or 6,900 are disabled.

Councilmember Curtis Gardner plans to bring forward a resolution to amend the rules of order and procedure regarding proclamations in the study session, proposing the city change its rules to no longer permit proclamations regarding events, organizations, people or causes not directly related to the City of Aurora. 

The resolution states that proclamations are permitted to promote local cultural and art celebrations, raise awareness of local issues impacting community health or safety, supporting charitable fundraising campaigns benefiting many residents, or recognizing local individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to the city, according to council documents. 

It prohibits proclamations regarding campaigns or events contrary to city policies or direction, events organizations or people with no relationship to the city, for-profit causes, pending ballot or legislative items, and items for “day of” or “month of” observances that are regional, state, national or international in nature.

At the regular meeting Monday night, the council will vote on a resolution regarding reimbursement for a new animal shelter project.

The resolution, moved forward to a regular meeting at the previous study session, would “allow for the reimbursement of expenditures related to the construction and equipping of a new facility.”

A resolution like the one coming forward is required by the IRS, documents said.

The council will also vote on a request for a waiver of reconsideration to expedite an intergovernmental agreement for work on the I-70/aerotropolis Parkway Interchange Project, which would provide “critical local access” to I-70, according to council documents.

The construction contract for the project is expected to be awarded in the second quarter of 2024, but the waiver of reconsideration, if the request is approved, would expedite the award, since the bid pricing will expire before May 20, according to documents.

The study session will be held at 5:15 p.m. in the Aurora Room of the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Pkwy.

The council’s regular meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Paul Tauer Aurora City Council Chamber, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway.

Both meetings will also be live streamed at auroraTV.org and Youtube.com/TheAuroraChannel. They will also stream live on cable channels 8 and 880 in Aurora.

Those who want to speak during “Public Invited to Be Heard” must submit a speaker slip by 6:30 p.m. Monday, the day of the meeting. Anyone who wants to comment on an agenda item must submit a speaker slip before the city clerk reads the title of the item.