(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A homelessness expert visited Colorado Springs on Wednesday, Feb. 5 to address the visible challenge in communities across Colorado.

Colorado Author and Homelessness Expert Donald W. Burnes, a Denver native, visited Colorado Springs to discuss what the city is doing right and wrong. Through his work, he has researched poverty and homelessness and published several books.

The nationally recognized homeless expert said he approves of models like Houston, where they have small communities of tiny homes up to house the homeless, but he is not a fan of the current model in Colorado Springs.

“It’s mainly a penalty-driven concept,” said Burnes. “We want to penalize you for camping on the streets. It doesn’t stop anything, it just moves people around. So I’m not sure that’s going to be terribly successful.”

Burnes said it would take a collaboration of multiple officials to make a long-lasting effect on the issue in Colorado Springs.