Council approves shelter operator contract and bus agreements for people experiencing homelessness

Denver City Council on Oct. 14 adopted several measures aimed at supporting people experiencing homelessness, approving a contract with Denver Rescue Mission to operate the Holly Street low‑barrier shelter and two transportation agreements to connect shelters and day centers.

Council adopted Resolution 13‑74 to contract with Denver Rescue Mission to operate programmatic services at the Holly Street Shelter; Jeff Kositzky, Deputy Director for Shelter and Stability at Host, said the contract was split to improve accountability by isolating spending and outcomes for each shelter. The resolution passed on voice vote with support from council members.

The council also approved Resolution 13‑80 (a fourth amendatory agreement with Central Student Transportation LLC) and Resolution 13‑81 (a second amendatory agreement with Busco Inc.) to provide transportation services for people experiencing homelessness. Kositzky described Busco’s role in providing larger buses to pick up guests from locations such as Lawrence Street and Samaritan House and bring them to 48th Avenue or other shelter sites; Central Student Transportation will operate a circulator Monday–Friday connecting shelters, day shelter and health‑care locations from about 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Kositzky said transportation is used for daily shelter pickups, cold‑weather shelter transfers and for connecting guests to meals and services. Councilmember Lewis asked for route specifics and where clients are coming from; Kositzky listed pickup points and explained transfers depend on current shelter availability. The resolutions passed unanimously.

Councilmembers supporting the items framed them as operational improvements to support shelter guests’ access to services; no major amendments were made on the floor. Staff said the contracts supplement cold‑weather arrangements and that multiple providers will coordinate on availability.