City continues to fall behind in tracking homeless encampment expense

The latest audit follow-up report on Denver's homeless encampment response highlights both progress and persistent issues in managing the city's homelessness crisis. Despite improvements since the initial audit, significant risks remain, particularly in expense tracking, contract oversight, and equitable service delivery. Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien noted that the city has only fully implemented six of the 36 recommendations from the initial report, with 11 recommendations still unaddressed. This lack of transparency in spending raises concerns about taxpayer dollars being used effectively.

Key findings reveal that the city has not designated staff for monitoring contracts or reviewing invoices, which undermines program effectiveness. Additionally, the Mayor's Office has not conducted a needs assessment to ensure equitable access to property storage for those experiencing homelessness. The report stresses the importance of immediate action to address these ongoing risks, especially as the city transitions to a new program, All in Mile High. The Auditor's Office plans to continue monitoring these areas and may revisit them in future audits.