Douglas County values the vital role our business community plays in creating a safe, welcoming environment for all. We understand that business owners may face unique challenges when encountering individuals experiencing homelessness, and we’re here to help. Whether you’re responding to a panhandler near your entrance, managing concerns about encampments or looking for ways to support community-wide solutions, this page offers the tools and resources you need.
What to Do if You Encounter a ConcernPanhandling is not illegal, and being unhoused is not a crime. However, Douglas County maintains a zero-tolerance policy for criminal activity and works with businesses to ensure community safety with compassion and responsibility. If you’re unsure what to do, we encourage you to reach out to HEART, a trusted county resource for support and resolution.
The Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team (HEART) is Douglas County’s innovative, compassionate response to homelessness. HEART pairs trained Navigators with local law enforcement to proactively assist individuals experiencing homelessness. These co-responder teams engage directly with individuals in need, offering personalized support, assessing needs and connecting them to vital services such as shelter, mental health care and case management. HEART also coordinates with business owners on encampment clean-ups and can connect you with approved vendors for safe, timely removal. For emergencies, please call 911.
Show your support for safe, compassionate giving with signage for our Handouts Don’t Help public awareness campaign for your storefront or property. The signage encourages donations to DouglasHasHeart.org, redirecting generosity toward effective community services rather than direct handouts to individuals.
A trespass letter authorizes law enforcement to intervene when someone refuses to leave your property even if you are not on-site. Letters can be issued as general notices or tailored to specific individuals, and they are useful tools for recurring issues. Please note that business owners must either own the property or receive permission from the landlord to file one.
Douglas County recognizes that homelessness is a complex and growing issue with impacts on both individuals and the broader community. In response, the County has adopted a Four Cs approach: Compassion, Code Enforcement, Community Services and Communication. This balanced model ensures that while individuals experiencing homelessness are treated with dignity, the safety and expectations of business owners and residents are also respected.
A cornerstone of this approach is the Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team (HEART), which works directly with law enforcement and service providers to respond to homelessness in real time.
The Douglas County Homeless Initiative (DCHI) has also coordinated public awareness campaigns focused on redirecting the generosity of community members to donate safely to DouglasHasHeart.org, benefiting multiple local organizations.
The DCHI also works closely with multiple regional partners to coordinate on larger scale efforts to eliminate homelessness in the Denver metropolitan area. As of June 2025, Douglas County has achieved Functional Zero homelessness for Veterans, reduced the number of individuals sleeping outside from 43 in 2022 to 5 in 2025, and for every unhoused family, we have a solution through our partnership with GOALS.
Call 911 immediately for emergency situations, including injury or a serious medical issue.
You have two main contacts to help with these situations:
For emergencies, please call 911.
HEART is a co-responder team made up of trained navigators and law enforcement partners. HEART staff are experienced in behavioral health, case management and crisis intervention. They respond to community concerns about homelessness and work directly with individuals to assess their needs and connect them to housing, shelter, food, transportation and health services. For business owners, HEART offers proactive support, helping reduce repeated disruptions while guiding individuals toward stability.
A trespass letter authorizes law enforcement to intervene when someone refuses to leave your property even if you are not on-site. Letters can be issued as general notices or tailored to specific individuals, and they are useful tools for recurring issues. Please note that business owners must either own the property or receive permission from the landlord to file one.
See the section above (Trespass Letters) for information on who to contact.
Business owners play a vital role in our community response. You can stay informed and participate by attending Douglas County Homeless Initiative (DCHI) Executive Committee meetings, held the second Thursday of each month. These meetings are open to the public, with in-person and virtual options.
Another great way to help is by informing your neighboring property and business owners about the resources available through the DCHI like HEART, trespass letters and public awareness signage.
If you encounter someone who may need help, the best step is to contact HEART. Their trained navigators will assess the individual’s needs and provide access to shelter, mental health services, transportation and more.
If you would like to financially support the work of the Douglas County Homeless Initiative, HEART and other local organizations, you can make a tax-deductible donation through DouglasHasHeart.org.
While the intention is generous, giving directly to individuals is not always the safest or most effective way to help. Douglas County encourages residents and businesses to give through our DouglasHasHeart.org website in collaboration with the Douglas County Community Foundation. These tax-deductible gifts support HEART and vetted nonprofits that provide long-term support to those in need.
100% of donations made through DouglasHasHeart.org, in partnership with the Douglas County Community Foundation, go directly to trusted local organizations that provide food, shelter, job support and other critical services. See the list of current benefiting organizations on our Get Involved page.
These signs are part of a public awareness campaign that promotes safe giving through DouglasHasHeart.org. By encouraging donations to nonprofits rather than direct handouts to panhandlers, they aim to foster a more coordinated, effective community response to homelessness. The signs also offer a way to connect to HEART for community resources and outreach.
If you would like to request signage for your business or property, please visit the Public Awareness webpage for details.
