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Council directs city manager to develop plan to phase out city‑run shelters
Summary
Council asked the city manager to produce a fiscally responsible plan by Feb. 25, 2025, to eventually end city‑managed shelter operations at the South Railroad Facility and Loveland Resource Center and to report spending on homelessness services and comparative data from other Colorado municipalities.
The Loveland City Council voted to direct the city manager to develop a detailed, fiscally responsible plan for the city to transition away from operating municipal shelters, including the South Railroad Facility (SRF) and the Loveland Resource Center (LRC). Councilor Samson framed the motion as an effort to inventory city spending on homelessness services, compare municipal sheltering models around Colorado, and bring back a draft ordinance addressing how the city's municipal code would align with the U.S. Supreme Court decision referenced in the motion.
The motion asks the city manager and city attorney to return a plan to council no later than Feb. 25, 2025. In council discussion, members raised fiscal and operational questions: Councilor McFall and others noted per‑bed costs for SRF previously cited on the floor ("about $71,000 a bed") and a temporary building permit for a facility that expires April 12, 2025; the acting city manager said staff and Homeward Alliance had been working toward transition plans and that staff would produce a plan whether or not council adopted this motion.
Why it matters: The motion signals a policy change in how Loveland provides sheltering services — from municipal operation toward partnerships or third‑party service providers — and requires staff to provide spending data, comparisons with other municipalities, and model ordinance language to ensure compliance with controlling court precedent.
What happens next: The city manager will prepare a plan and background briefing for the Feb. 25, 2025 return, including spending breakdowns, shelter inventories, and legal options for enforcement consistent with the cited court decision. The council may then give further direction or adopt implementing ordinance changes.
Attributions: Statements in this article are attributed to Councilor Samson and Acting City Manager Rod Wenzing from the council record.
