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CBS News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Denver City Council adds $4.5 million to fund the Salvation Army contract
The Denver City Council has added another $4.5 million to fund the Salvation Army contract, bringing the new total more than $19 million. The Crossroads Center shelter is located at 29th Street and Arkins Court. CBS While many council members acknowledged the safety concerns at the shelter, there was mixed reaction from former tenants, city council members and advocates. The council ultimately felt it was better to keep the shelter open. Councilmember Chris Hinds told CBS Colorado, if the shelter closed, at least 300 people would have nowhere to go. Despite that, many people were still upset. That includes former Crossroads Center resident Ana Miller. "Just angry," Miller said. Miller can't understand why city council extended the Salvation Army's contract for the shelter despite complaints about unlivable conditions. "Just years and years of hearing people tell me about Crossroads -- my experience," Miller explained. "I really would like the city to find somebody new to run that place." Miller isn't alone. A former case manager, David Walsh, says resident deaths, poor security and discoveries of weapons left him uneasy. "It was more focused on getting housed, getting housed, getting housed and not making sure that what happens after they are housed," Walsh said. Walsh adds that he believes actions taken by the mayor's office, "really was a joke. They're more focused on staff than residents it seemed," he said. Hinds heard the concerns and says the city will hold providers accountable through investigations and oversight. "And likely additional requirements to make sure that they have proper staffing, that they have the funding in place, and that they actually allocate that funding the way we are expecting them to allocate that funding," Hinds added. In a statement, the Salvation Army said in part it's working on new procedures to improve the lives of the residents in its shelters, and, "many of these improvements, which include enhanced security protocols, have already been implemented." Its all far from over. The Department of Housing Stability will be issuing a request for proposals in 2026 for shelter providers at congregate (group) shelters like Crossroads. Although skeptical, advocates say they're trying to stay hopeful. "We need to start looking at houselessness in a way that is more of empathetic approach," Miller said
Axios
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Salvation Army contract extension faces scrutiny amid security concerns
A plan to add $4.6 million to an existing Salvation Army contract with the city to operate its busiest homeless shelter includes terms intended to improve safety. The big picture: Denver City Council members on Wednesday forwarded a bill to the full council to extend the contract to run the Crossroads Center, pushing the total to $19.4 million. Why it matters: It's an eyebrow-raising sum for a nonprofit facing criticism over its poor safety record in other Denver-area shelters. A sexual assault and multiple shootings occurred at shelter sites operated by the Salvation Army over the past year. Threat level: Its final approval isn't guaranteed, as council members on Wednesday voiced security-related concerns just two months after dropping a separate deal with the nonprofit. Councilmember Jamie Torres said Wednesday she's already received messages to reject the contract, including from a local advocacy group, the Housekeys Action Network Denver. The group called the conditions at Crossroads "deplorable" and included multiple anonymous complaints from people who stayed there in an open letter. By the numbers: The proposed extension covers staffing and operational costs through December, and is calculated based on an average cost of $41 per person per night, city documents show. Roughly $2.5 million pays for salaries and benefits for 38 staff members, with the remainder covering maintenance, meals and supplies for people staying at the shelter, deputy director of shelter and stability Jeff Kositsky. The roughly 300-bed emergency shelter in the Five Points neighborhood is owned by the city and available 24/7 for men exclusively, often running near capacity. The Salvation Army will contribute $1 million to run the center. The intrigue: The additional money comes with stipulations, including a requirement for the Salvation Army to submit a security plan for Denver's Department of Housing Stability to review. The Salvation Army will remain responsible for managing security, and the city will install kiosks to allow people who stay at Crossroads to submit feedback, per Kositsky. What they're saying: Keeping Crossroads open is in the best interest of people who rely on it, though safety concerns are legitimate, Councilmember Amanda Sawyer said during Wednesday's meeting.
