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Homeless advocates praise council contract decision, allege neglect and misconduct at Aspen shelter
Summary
At the March 24 Denver City Council public comment session, a homeless advocate said councilors' choice not to renew a Salvation Army youth contract was welcome and raised allegations of neglect, solicitation and staffing problems at a shelter known as the Aspen.
During public comment on March 24, an advocate who identified herself as Mariana, a longtime homeless-services advocate and someone with lived experience, told the Denver City Council she welcomed the council's decision not to extend a contract with the Salvation Army for youth shelter services and described multiple allegations about conditions at a facility she called the Aspen.
Mariana said advocates and residents had reported alleged misconduct and poor conditions, including solicitation of sexual favors by staff, drug sales in the building, repeated lack of hot water, security staff sleeping on night shifts, and case management shortfalls. "Residents there for 2 years. No vouchers, no case managers. We are warehousing folks," Mariana said, and she called on the council for accountability and transparency.
The speaker thanked the council for not renewing the Salvation Army contract and said advocates had been raising concerns for years. She alleged two deaths had occurred at the facility while criticizing staffing turnover and poor living conditions; those claims were presented as allegations by an advocate and were not corroborated within the meeting record.
The council transcript records these claims as public comment; no follow-up statements, investigations or formal findings by city staff or the council were included in the session record provided.
