Denver officials brief council on shelter contracts, cold‑weather plan and Crossroads renovations

Councilwoman Sarah Paradis, councilmember at large and chair of the Community Planning and Housing Committee, opened the Sept. 16 briefing by saying the meeting would include only briefings and no formal votes: “We have a couple of briefings. No action items. Nothing on consent.”

Housing Department officials described a package of nine one‑year congregate‑shelter contracts, two transportation contracts and two cold‑weather contracts that the Department of Housing Stability (HOST) plans to present to the council in coming weeks. “This briefing is part of our efforts to not only get our contracts all signed on time this year, but also to present them to you in a more organized manner,” said Jeff Kosinski, deputy director for shelter instability.

The contracts cover nine congregate sites that together represent 1,623 beds and serve adults and youth up to about age 24, HOST staff said. The department reported systemwide occupancy above 95% on most nights and outlined the roster of shelters, per‑site budgets, staffing and recent performance data.

Highlights from the briefing:

- Crossroads (Salvation Army), city‑owned, District 9: 300 beds; 2024 budget shown at about $4.5 million with 97% spent; 38 full‑time equivalents (FTEs); cost reported as $43 per person per night; average occupancy 98.3%. HOST said the city plans structural and programmatic improvements at Crossroads — roof repairs, emergency‑exit and access upgrades, improved air circulation and the ability to connect generators — and expects to close the site for about a month in…