Author : Lakewood News from Karen

Emory Not Purchased Yet but is Already Scheduled to Sell The sale of Emory has already been scheduled for October 27, the same day Lakewood will authorize buying the current Action Center for more homeless services. There is no mention of when Lakewood will complete the purchase of Emory, but Lakewood must be confident since it is already scheduled for sale. There is no update on the Jeffco website and calls for comment have not been returned. No evidence of a public meeting with Jeffco schools can be found. Lakewood has consistently told residents that the purchase and sale of Emory Elementary was not a “done deal” and that the community would have plenty of opportunity to weigh in. But so far, that hasn’t been the case. While there have been many meetings where the Action Center has explained their plans, there has been no opposing views presented. Resident concerns have been brushed aside. The only real discussion about Lakewood’s homeless policy was during a Council workshop at which no votes were taken and public comment allowed. The sale date of October 27th is the day before the District Court trial involving Lakewood’s alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law. Former Lakewood Councilor and attorney Anita Springsteen filed three lawsuits against improper notice of executive sessions for Emory purchase discussions. Losing Money Jeffco will not disclose the market valuation of Emory, claiming negotiation privilege. However, the discussion from the Action Center presentations suggests: the property is worth around $10 million Lakewood will purchase the building for $4 million. Lakewood will then sell the building to the Action Center for $1 million. If true, that’s a $9 million loss to the taxpayers. Add in the cost for Lakewood to buy the current Action Center property and the cost goes up. Meanwhile, Jeffco has been cutting costs elsewhere — including reducing school resource officer coverage. Residents can’t help but connect these decisions to recent tragedies like the Evergreen school shooting, which happened when the SRO was off duty and a replacement had been “deprioritized”. Biased Presentations The Action Center has sponsored a couple of one-sided presentation meetings. Ward 2 residents expecting a zoning discussion on September 13 were instead met with a surprise Action Center presentation. The Action Center meeting scheduled for September 17 has turned into a Ward 3 meeting. It is scheduled for 5:30 at Emory Elementary. What’s missing is any balanced discussion of: The real taxpayer costs The impact on nearby neighborhoods Program effectiveness Whether these programs can stand financially without ongoing government support Expanding Homeless Services City Manager Kathy Hodgson previewed this direction back in December 2023, saying “… we are talking about a partnership with the Action Center to move them to one of the schools that’s been closed…. then Lakewood would have a presence in the existing two buildings of the Action Center to complete the navigation concept and allow for more housing for our homeless population….“ Since the City Manager made that comment, the Navigation Center has proven to be more expensive than anticipated and has drawn criticism as a magnet for the homeless. Even Governor Jared Polis recently questioned “Housing First” strategies like Lakewood’s. In a September 12 interview with CPR, Polis said Denver’s model hasn’t worked and shouldn’t be emulated. Instead, he pointed to Colorado Springs and Aurora, which emphasize mental health and individualized approaches over housing alone. (See Lakewood Informer news article for a comparison) From CPR interview with Governor Polis, 12 September 2025 Zoning Changes on a Fast Track Lakewood’s City Council is expected to vote on the final zoning changes, including the Emory site, on October 13. The move would “spot change” Emory’s zoning without the typical public hearing process. All of this is scheduled to be finalized before the next election, effectively locking in the decision before residents can have their say at the ballot box. The Bigger Picture Lakewood’s leadership continues to move forward without presenting residents with a full picture of costs, tradeoffs, or alternative models. Governor Polis himself has warned against relying on “Housing First” — yet Lakewood is doubling down on that very approach. The new zoning enables this approach while bypassing normal public hearings on controversial site changes.