DENVER – The city of Denver and the Salvation Army have come to an agreement for the city to pay $10.5 million to buy the Crossroads Center shelter for homeless men that currently houses about 400 people per night, they said Friday in a joint news release.
The letter of intent will still have to be approved by the Denver City Council and will head to a council committee next week, the city said. The shelter has been undergoing renovations over the past few years to try and upgrade the old warehouse building in RiNo.
“The city’s purchase of Crossroads is critical to ensuring our residents experiencing homelessness have the support from our community to be healthy, housed and connected to the services they need,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement.
The city and Salvation Army said after the purchase is approved, should it be, the city would lease the building back to the Salvation Army for up to three years so the organization can continue serving the homeless men.
“This opportunity to work with the City and County of Denver gives The Salvation Army a unique ability to make a dramatic difference in the lives of people and families experiencing homelessness,” said Salvation Army divisional commander Major Mike Dickinson. “We are committed to be there for our Denver neighbors in need, and will continue to provide service, love and support for them.”
Denver Chief Housing Officer Britta Fisher said the purchase was part of a three-year shelter plan to consolidate some of the city’s programs and investments into a new Department of Housing Stability.
“We are working to ensure that while building a comprehensive approach to address the needs of the community, we are not sacrificing existing services for those in need today,” she said in a statement.
“The Crossroads location is critical for the community of people experiencing homelessness and can serve a variety of needs in the future for the city and the neighborhood,” Fisher added.