Lakewood Purchased Navigation Center Property

Lakewood closed on the purchase of the Navigation Center property on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Travis Parker, Chief of the Sustainability and Community Development Department, made the announcement on Monday, Sept 16, during the budget presentation. The property has been leased until now. He added that Lakewood is working on an Intergovernmental Agreement to fund operations, which may include Arvada’s new navigation center as well. Such an agreement would allow other cities to contribute some funds while Lakewood takes on the long-term burden of caring for the unhoused. Lakewood will begin property renovations as soon as possible. The property has never been granted a shelter permit, which is the only opportunity for public input. Instead it has operated for years on an emergency basis and will continue to do so. The increased crime surrounding the area has been ignored by the city, as has the increase in homeless in Lakewood. City officials seem intent on providing more free to low-income housing despite these problems. Lakewood is also looking for properties to host transitional housing, like pallet homes, particularly along Colfax. Lakewood donated $500,000 to affordable housing projects this year.