LOVELAND, Colo. — The South Railroad Facility in Loveland, a temporary overnight shelter that opened in 2023, is set to close on Monday due to funding issues, sparking concern among shelter users and advocates.
The City of Loveland said the facility was "funded with one-time dollars that are now exhausted." The city stated that it has implemented "service-level reductions to ensure a balanced General Fund."
William Kennedy has been staying at the South Railroad Facility intermittently since last October. He explained that this overnight shelter offers showers, restrooms and beds, making it a desirable option compared to sleeping outdoors.
"You don't know what's going to happen. You might get robbed or whatever, but you can go inside there and feel safe, and that's the whole thing about being homeless is feeling safe," Kennedy said.
Signs are posted around the shelter notifying people of the closure. Monday, September 29, is the last night that the shelter will offer services. Kennedy said people are angry about the closure, and it will lead to more people sleeping outside.
"There's going to be a lot of people, you know, like I said, that’s going to be out here on the streets, period," Kennedy said.
Last Friday, the ACLU of Colorado sent a letter to the City of Loveland, urging it to halt the closure and expressing concerns that no alternative sheltering plan was in place.
Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Colorado Annie Kurtz shared the following statement with Denver7.
"The ACLU of Colorado is deeply concerned about the plans to close the South Railroad Facility ahead of the winter season. Its closure, and the restriction of overnight services at the Loveland Resource Center, would be detrimental to the health and safety of people who are unhoused in the city. While the city is saying it has no other options but to close and restrict these crucial services, that is simply not true. There are legal avenues to continue these services while city leaders come up with short- and long-term options for its residents in need."
The City of Loveland confirmed it received a letter from the ACLU and that it "did not threaten the City of Loveland with litigation nor did it allege we violated the civil rights of anyone."
Linda Breen, a Loveland resident, is concerned about the closure, saying the shelter helps "keep people alive in the winter." Breen is encouraging the city to provide an alternate sheltering option. She said a protest is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Loveland to show support for the people who have been using the shelter.
"We have discovered just through meeting people, but also through surveys, that the majority of people in Loveland really do care about the homeless, and so we're confused and appalled that we don't seem to be able to keep the homeless shelter open," Breen said.
The city said it's working with shelter guests in preparation for the closure and has been conducting conversations with community members about homelessness. The Loveland Resource Center will remain open to offer daytime support services and will serve as an emergency overnight shelter.
