Salvation Army contract extension faces scrutiny amid security concerns
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Inside the Crossroads Center operated by the Salvation Army. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
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.
- "The housing outcomes at Crossroads are better than at any other … congregate shelters in the Denver metro area," Jennifer Forker, a spokesperson for the Salvation Army, said in a statement.
- She added the nonprofit has the fewest complaints at congregated shelters in the city.