Lakewood News from Karen, Author at Lakewood Informer

Lakewood City Council approves housing plan and Navigation Center, but residents still have questions and concerns

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 27, 2024.

Guest Post by Bill Foshag

Lakewood City Council held a regular business meeting on February 12, 2024 to discuss a number of items including a resolution on the Lakewood Strategic Housing Plan and adopting an ordinance to accept a DOLA (Department of Local Affairs) grant to purchase and renovate a property on West Colfax that will house a Navigation Center. The meeting was well attended by a number of residents who were interested and concerned about these two issues.

Migrant Concerns

One of the main concerns that many expressed during the public comments, as well as an earlier town hall meeting on February 6^th, was that recently closed public schools, the Navigation Center, and possibly city facilities would be used to house migrants being relocated to Denver, which would make Lakewood a de-facto sanctuary city. The basis for these concerns stemmed partly from the City Council meeting in January in which the City Manager, Kathy Hodgson, was instructed to meet with leaders of the City and County of Denver to “discuss all feasible options for Lakewood to do more to support our region’s response to the growing migrant crisis and influx of our new neighbors, and to report back to us (City Council) with options”. Language used by council members during the meeting, words such as “our new migrant neighbors” and “welcoming”, seemed to indicate sanctuary status for Lakewood was the direction in which council was headed. At the February 12^th meeting, Ms. Hodgson reported that she and her staff had met with Denver officials, and no request was made of Lakewood for hotel, motel, or congregate facility support for the migrants. She also noted that “Denver is actually winding down the program related specifically to housing migrant newcomers”. Some suggestions for assistance from her meeting with Denver officials include hosting migrant families in willing resident’s homes, donating food, clothing, and cash to the organizations in Denver that are providing assistance, and volunteering with organizations in Denver that are providing aid.

Strategic Housing Plan

The resolution on the Strategic Housing Plan and the ordinance on the Navigation Center were both approved, with Ward 4 Councilman Rich Olver casting the lone “no” votes on both. Although both measures passed, there are still questions and concerns that remain.

The resolution to adopt the Lakewood Strategic Housing Plan calls for the plan “to (be) use(d) as a framework for future housing policy and for the development of strategies and action steps for increasing affordable housing options in Lakewood into the future”. The plan was prepared with input from City Council, City Planning staff, the 2023 Housing Advisory Policy Commission, a number of housing professionals, and Gruen Gruen + Associates, a consulting firm compensated with funds from a DOLA grant. Under “housing professionals”, the plan’s acknowledgements list a number of other individuals not affiliated with City government, two of whom are identified as “active citizens”. No homeowner associations are noted in the acknowledgements of the plan. The plan includes selected comments from members of the community.

The plan, as described by several council members, is a framework or pathway for future planning to provide more affordable housing to Lakewood residents to help alleviate the problems of increasing housing costs and homelessness. According to the final report, “The foundation of this Plan is to strengthen policies that assist Lakewood’s most vulnerable residents, including low-income households, working families and individuals, older adults, and Lakewood’s unhoused population; and improve the functioning of the housing market to meet a diverse range of housing needs”.

A common remark from the neighborhood associations was a feeling they were not included in the preparation of the Strategic Housing Plan.

At the Lakewood City Council meeting, several people spoke up during the public comments, representing themselves or neighborhood associations. A common remark from the neighborhood associations was a feeling they were not included in the preparation of the Strategic Housing Plan. They believe that community associations need to be included and recognized as stakeholders in the planning process. One of the representatives also listed off a number of non-governmental organizations in their community that are already providing services to the needy and homeless. The implication being that perhaps we already have the resources in the community to address the housing issues. Of particular note along these lines is that aside from the two “active citizens:” noted in the acknowledgements of the plan, are nine others who are associated with non-governmental (i.e. for-profit) real-estate development or brokerage firms. This raises serious questions about whose interests this report represents, the residents of Lakewood or the real estate businesses that possibly stand to profit from the plan. While the importance of input from real estate professionals is not being entirely dismissed, more representation from residents and neighborhood associations whose communities will be impacted by actions taken from this report must be considered and should receive at least equal representation.

Implications taxpayer money would be paid to developers

The plan includes four strategies and action items: invest in affordable housing, expand overall affordable housing supply, expand housing choices and services for residents, and keep residents stably housed. Under “invest in affordable housing”, wording is included “would provide financial support for housing programs and incentives to encourage the production of more affordable housing units”, and “voluntary program that encourages private developments to build affordable units by offering a range of incentives”. This wording implies taxpayer money would, in some way, be paid to developers as an incentive to build affordable housing. What other options did the preparers of this plan consider to encourage development of affordable housing without the use of taxpayer funds? The plan also includes discussion of small lot zoning, smaller housing units and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Does this mean the city will consider allowing developers to purchase existing homes, remove the existing structure, subdivide the property, and build small homes on the subdivided lots? What is the impact on the community of increasing population density resulting from small lot zoning? Do our residents really want more high-density housing? The plan also states “the city could deploy local funds to supplement down payment assistance programs”. City Council needs to consider that someone needing a subsidy for a down payment may not have sufficient income to support the mortgage, and perhaps those funds would be better used to subsidize rent until the individual can afford the down payment and mortgage (while home ownership and building equity, is a generally a good thing, it may not be the best solution for everyone). We should also consider what kind of housing do we want – how do we arrive at a comfortable balance of rental units versus privately owned condos/townhomes and houses?

To what extent should governments be subsidizing housing in Lakewood? Are there any instances that demonstrate that government subsidies have actually decreased the cost of anything, or do government funded subsidies actually increase costs for everybody? These are some questions that community members raised that City Council has not yet fully addressed. More community input and participation from neighborhood associations is necessary before moving forward with the housing plan.

Navigation Center

The second major news topic discussed at the February 12^th City Council meeting concerns accepting and moving forward with the $9.5 million funding to purchase, renovate, and operate a Navigation Center on West Colfax. The funding in large part comes from a DOLA grant, with a smaller amount funded from other sources. According to Lakewood’s website, “the city will serve as a pass-through agency for this grant to allow RecoveryWorks to provide increased and immediate access to services for those without stable housing in a central location at 8000 W. Colfax Ave.” RecoveryWorks was founded in 2019 and had been operating for a couple of years at 7011 West Colfax before moving to the 8000 West Colfax location late last year. According to RecoveryWorks website, “we provide and facilitate access to comprehensive and integrated medical respite, recovery, housing and employment services for those who have few or no resources”. James Ginsburg, executive director of RecoveryWorks, was present at the City Council meeting and provided additional information about the center and how the funds from the grant will be spent. According to Mr. Ginsburg, approximately $5 million of the grant will go towards the purchase of the building at 8000 West Colfax, Lakewood, Colorado (currently, the space is being rented). An additional $4 million of the grant will go towards significant rehab of the building, including building out office space, and adding shower and restroom facilities. He also mentioned the facility would ideally provide 100 beds as a 24/7 transitional housing shelter, with no time limits on how long those being sheltered could remain at the facility. Annual operating expenses are estimated to be in the $2 million range. Responding to comments from a council member, Mr. Ginsburg said that the target groups for the center are the elderly, veterans, disabled, and the medically frail. In addressing the concerns that migrants will take advantage of the facility, he stated that of the 350 individuals they have served in the last 2-1/2 years, only 9 have identified themselves as immigrants, and they were referred to immigration services. He also commented that 95% of the people they serve are Jefferson County residents, and 80% grew up in Lakewood.

Resident comment on the navigation center

A number of citizens came forward during public comment with questions and concerns they feel have not been addressed by City Council on this ordinance. Many remarked the city should be spending funds on what they see as more pressing needs. They said that the services in Lakewood are already stretched thin and the city should not be taking on more obligations, but needs to focus first of those in need already in Lakewood, particularly the elderly, poor, and veterans. Others expressed fears the Navigation Center would become a magnet for other municipalities, including Denver, to send people in need from their communities. Several others suggested the police department needs to strengthened, and focus on enforcing existing ordinances, particularly laws dealing with vagrancy, sex and drug trafficking, street side soliciting (panhandling), and compliance with Federal ICE protocols. Concerns about personal safety and a general feeling of lawlessness in the city were expressed by a couple of residents. One person mentioned cost overruns at other similar service centers that were in the news and questioned how Lakewood would be able to handle such a situation if and when it arises here. Another resident suggested RecoveryWorks be accountable to the City, providing information on success rates on substance abuse recovery and getting people placed in permanent housing. Most of these pressing concerns were not addressed during City Council’s discussion following public comment.

The role of other governments

During City Council’s discussion, there were some brief mentions of other municipalities (Jefferson County and some neighboring cities) providing support for the annual operating expense of the Navigation Center if they refer their residents to Lakewood. There was no additional discussion at the meeting on details of any cost sharing proposals. Because it was briefly mentioned (and in the context in which it was mentioned), this is something that apparently has been previously discussed among City Council members and others. Lakewood needs to know what to expect in terms of people coming in from outside of Lakewood seeking services provided by the Navigation Center. Are they residents of Arvada, Littleton, unincorporated Jefferson County, or elsewhere? What kind of services will they be seeking at the Navigation Center in Lakewood – mental health, addiction recovery, housing assistance, or something else? How much will the referring municipalities reimburse the city for the cost of the people they send here? These are questions that should have been addressed and answered before moving forward with accepting the DOLA grant.

Is there a pattern of success?

The question of efficacy is essential to understanding the degree of success of any program like what the Navigation Center is undertaking. Some additional questions to help with this are “what are the success rates of other similar programs in similar metropolitan areas” and “where have programs like this succeeded (and failed) in the past, and why”. Programs in cities like San Francisco, Portland, Baltimore, and elsewhere, have not been successful and those cities are now struggling with serious homeless and substance addition issues. We would not want to model our programs based on programs that have not worked in other cities. City Council should ensure the RecoveryWorks program is actually following the pattern of successful programs and is achieving its goal of preventing homelessness and getting people into stable and permanent housing. Progress should be monitored at least quarterly and reviewed to see if changes are necessary to improve efficacy. Residents should be informed of the success rates quarterly and apprised major changes to the program that would affect the city or the communities in the vicinity of the facility.

Not a solution, only a first step

One other comment Mr. Ginsburg made which was repeated by a supporter during the public comments, was that the Navigation Center is not a solution to the city’s housing problems, but only a first step. Obviously, the challenges of homelessness, substance addiction, physical and mental health currently facing Lakewood are complex, and will require more resources than the Navigation Center can currently provide. A couple of residents touched on this in their public comments. The concern here is if the Navigation Center is only a stepping stone to solving the housing problem in Lakewood, what is the solution (or what are the solutions)? Is City Council planning to expand the Navigation Center in the future? Is City Council planning to bring in other programs and organizations to supplement the work of RecoveryWorks? To arrive at a final solution for homelessness, what will the impact be on our neighborhoods, what will the costs be, and where will the funding come from? The Strategic Housing Plan does not address problems of substance abuse and mental illness, both of which impact Lakewood’s housing needs. So simply following the Strategic Housing Plan is not sufficient to fill in the gaps to eliminate the housing problem – something more is still needed. City Council will need to address this and let the community know what their plan is and ease the concerns of residents and assure us they are moving the right direction.

Were existing non-profits considered?

During the public comments and the discussions of the City Council members during the meeting, a number of other non-profit organizations operating within Lakewood were named. These include the Jeffco Action Center, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Mean Street Ministries, as well as several others. These are all organizations that are trying to help people in need, including homeless, in our community. Has City Council considered if partnering with one or more of these organizations could possibly achieve a lot of the same goals of easing the homelessness problems in Lakewood? Or, possibly, do we have overlap of efforts among any of these organizations that could provide more assistance to those in need if they share or combine their resources (staff and facilities)? These question were not posed during the meeting, but are things that City Council should consider.

Law enforcement considerations

Finally, City Council needs to consider the roll of law enforcement plays in this. As pointed out by several residents in the public comments, there are valid concerns that laws governing sex and drug trafficking, drug possession and use, vagrancy, street side solicitation, and ICE compliance are not being enforced. As a republic, we are governed not by people but by laws. The laws are in place to protect people’s safety, property and well-being as a base for a stable society. A number of residents in their public comments noted concerns for their own personal safety – some people no longer feel safe living and working in Lakewood. Certainly panhandling and washing windows from the medians at Colfax and Wadsworth (or any other intersection) is not safe and should not be (and by statutes is not) allowed. It is not up to City Council, law enforcement, judges, or prosecutors to decide which laws will be enforced and which ones won’t, especially laws that affect the safety and well-being of the community. City Council needs to review the needs of the Lakewood Police Department to see if additional officers are needed to ensure laws are properly enforced. If additional funding is needed, perhaps DOLA (or other) grants are available to provide the needed funds.

An informed government

Lakewood citizens need to continue using the City of Lakewood website to keep themselves informed about what is going on at City Hall. We also need to clearly communicate our concerns back to City Council by email, the LakewoodSpeaks website, telephone, at informal meetings the ward representatives periodically host, and at public comment at City Council meetings. City Council and those working on these large scope plans need to consider all options with the resources currently available with more consideration of the concerns of the residents and neighborhood associations than went into the measures that were approved at the February 12th City Council meeting. The city needs to carefully consider the impact (and possible unintended consequences) their decisions have on our communities and neighborhoods as a result of the plans they make. It is also important that the City clearly communicate their plans and avoid wording that obfuscates their intentions. These issues currently facing Lakewood are no doubt complex. We want to ensure the voices of the residents are heard, their concerns are addressed, and that future programs and plans undertaken by the City are effective, beneficial to all the members of the community, and are run in a fiscally sound manner.

Reader recommended business: Foothills Acupuncture

Extremists in Lakewood Bully City Council

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 21, 2024.

After the February 12 City Council meeting, Lakewood City Council Member Rebekah Stewart sent out a campaign email, saying “Despite extremist attempts to bully and intimidate us out of investing in this critical resource, I stood up with my colleagues for our community and our shared values.”

Who are these extremists who would bully and intimidate Lakewood City Council? Does she mean the hundreds of residents who came to the meeting and the many who spoke?

Is everyone who disagrees with Council decisions extreme? Which ones are not?

Are all these Lakewood residents bullies?

Lakewood residents in overflow seating, waiting to speak

Residents waiting to speak at City Council

Can we assume these people are not extremists since they are included in her email:

Photo from https://rebekahforcolorado.com/endorsements

Above: Council Members Stewart, Shahrezaei, Mayott-Guerrero, Sinks, Low and Cruz wearing butterflies to stand in solidarity with migrants. These same Councilors are also pictured in Stewart’s campaign photo above, along with Mayor Strom.

Is your voice being heard in Lakewood?

Read Stewarts campaign email here for full context.

Save Belmar Park Call to Action

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 18, 2024.

Community Organizer Regina Hopkins is asking for your attendance at the upcoming

Lakewood Planning Commission Meeting

DAY/DATE: Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024

TIME: 7:00PM

LOCATION: 480 S. Allison Parkway (Lakewood City CouncilChambers)

Click for AGENDA

**URGENT CALL FOR ACTION** Your presence and voice are urgently needed at this week’s upcoming Planning Commission meeting. We ask all local community members to attend in person, as this is the only way you can verbally express your public comments. The meeting is scheduled for Wed.Feb. 21 at 7:00pm at 480 S. Allison Parkway (Lakewood City Council Chambers).

Recent developments have brought to light profound concerns about the handling of certain processes within our community, notably concerning the proposed development at 777 S. Yarrow St. This development,which includes plans for a monster apartment building adjacent to Belmar Park and the bird sanctuary, has sparked alarm among residents. The current approach, largely driven by decisions made by staff without any public engagement process, has resulted in many community members feeling blind sided and voiceless in a decision that directly impacts our cherished crown jewel park.

We have conveyed our concerns to City Council, and now we turn to the planning commissioners – who hold a pivotal role in zoning he land in our city, among other duties. The upcoming Planning Commission meeting will provide us with a crucial opportunity to voice our opinions,express our concerns, and advocate for a more transparent and inclusive process.

During the meeting, each attendee will have 3 minutes to address the planning commissioners. This is our chance to articulate why we believe they play a vital role in reviewing unilateral decisions made by administrative staff for the entire Lakewood community. Planning commissioners serve as an essential part of the checks and balances process within our community, and we look to them for oversight and improvement.

We’ve seen examples from other communities in Colorado where processes have been enhanced to be more inclusive and transparent. It’s time for Lakewood to follow suit.

One of the primary topics of discussion will be the preservation of Belmar Park and the planning decisions surrounding 777 S.Yarrow St. Your presence and advocacy are critical in safeguarding this essential community asset.

I urge each and every one of you to prioritize attending this important Planning Commission meeting. Together, we can ensure that our community’s concerns are heard and addressed, fostering a more inclusive and transparent decision-making process.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter,and I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Regina

Director of Save Belmar Park

Survey – Would you vote like City Council?

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 12, 2024.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7716846/Would-you-vote-like-City-Council-on-Feb-12

Answer these questions at the survey link above:

Council Abandons Required Public Study Sessions

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 11, 2024.

Guest post from Jim Kinney

Lakewood’s City Council’s established Core Community Values, and Commitment to Citizens, which are both found on Lakewood.org, which include commitment to transparent government, open and honest communication and a commitment to provide education and information. City Council, which includes the Mayor, has also committed itself to focusing on quality results, promoting an inclusive environment for all citizens, respecting the traditions of the community, and honoring Lakewood’s neighborhoods’ values.

City Council’s Policy and Procedures Manual (also found at Lakewood.org), approved on May 14, 2018, contains the official policies and procedures City Council (Council) has developed and approved for themselves, to which their duties, proceedings, meetings and conduct all must conform. The authority for the Council Policy and Procedures Manual comes from the City of Lakewood Home Rule Charter and the Council’s approval of their Policy and Procedures Manual (Manual).

Manual, Section 05.16, establishes official Council policy and procedures for Study Sessions. Study Sessions are a regular event conducted to familiarize the Council and the public with detailed information and aspects of subjects under consideration in advance of the date the subject is to be before Council on the regular Council meeting agenda. Study Sessions are scheduled to be held on the first and third Mondays of each month, to facilitate coordinated study of subjects in preparation for upcoming regular Council meetings, which are scheduled for the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The public may comment at Study Sessions and their comments add to the overall value of information presented and collected at a Study Session. A public comment period follows each presentation within a Study Session, prior to Council discussion.

Council Study Sessions create the opportunity to present, question, understand, analyze, discuss and debate broad and detailed information, aspects and options associated with the subject, all the while allowing invaluable communication among Council, City staff and the public to occur. Participation in Study Sessions allows Council an opportunity and means to fulfill their Commitment to Citizens and focus on their Core Community Values, which were briefly introduced in the first paragraph.

Unfortunately, a disturbing and harmful trend has developed in City governance concerning the required use of Study Sessions in Council proceedings. Council chose to cancel a significant number of Study Sessions throughout 2023, and that trend of cancellations of Study Sessions is continuing in 2024. Holding Study Sessions, usually on both the first and third Mondays of the month, is required policy and procedure for Council.

Failure to conduct Study Sessions deprives City Council and the public of the necessary information, facts, perspectives, and a means of quality preparation necessary to make the best decisions for the Community on issues coming before Council for consideration and decision making.

The Council and the entire Lakewood community benefits from presentations and discussions during each Study Sessions. Council must ensure the scheduling and conduct of valuable, high quality Study Sessions, as they have required of themselves, for good reason, in their Council Manual.

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Public Comment Moved To After Council Votes

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 11, 2024.

Mayor Wendi Strom has changed the timing of public comment. In the name of efficiency, Strom has moved comment from the beginning until later in the meeting. Originally, public comment was moved to after the consent agenda. Now, there is no public comment until all business has been concluded.

You can voice your opinion after Council has voted.

In this case, efficiency may seem like shutting down the voices of the public. Are there other efficiencies being achieved?

The agenda for Monday, February 12 is shown below with notations for topics that will bring changes to Lakewood that have been in the news recently.

Screen capture of agenda for Feb 12 Council meeting

Public Comment online is available until noon, February 12.

To comment, go to the meeting agenda page and click on the item you wish to speak about. There will be a “Comment on this item” button. If there is no Comment button, Council is not accepting comment on that item particularly (for example, Mayor and Council Reports in the picture below). Anything on those items will go in “Public Comment”, while “City Navigation Center” has its own comment section.

Screen capture of public comment button on LakewoodSpeaks

Sidenote: Lakewood City Councilors expressed satisfaction during the January 8 meeting that there were 50 comments supporting migrant assistance. In point of fact, many of those comments were supporting revisions to the Yarrow St development plan. Recently, Lakewood Informer conducted a survey that showed residents were not in favor of the migrant assistance or the current plans for the homeless shelter. The survey had 4 times as many respondents as the public comment but is still not representative of Lakewood as a whole. 100 survey respondents were used as the basis of adopting building codes. (for more, see Opinion: Your Views Matter When They Agree With the City)

Jeffco Schools Continue to Have Influx of Migrants

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 10, 2024.

Correction: The Denver7 article said that migrants were causing enrollment to go up and enrollment at Slater went up by 50 students. The two statements were apparently unrelated to migrant enrollment. 12 February, 2024

Several new migrant families have started attending Foothills Elementary school in Lakewood. This information comes after the Denver7 report that 50 migrant students were attending Slater Elementary in Lakewood, indicating that the migrant influx continues. Jefferson County Schools have not yet replied to official requests for information (made only late on 2/9/24). An accurate head count may not be possible as the number of migrants attending school continues to change.

A large, sudden influx of students this late in the year will present challenges for the entire school community. Denver is currently dealing with the issues inherent with a large influx of non-english speaking students this late in the year. According to the Denver Post:

“DPS, which has a $1.3 billion budget, also has drawn from reserves to help make up the difference, district spokesman Bill Good said. The district is now working to hire more Spanish-speaking teachers and other support staff.”

“Our system was never built to handle this kind of challenge,” said Rob Gould, President of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. “You’re taking an already stressed system and applying more stress to it.”
From Migrant influx leaves Denver Public Schools short $17.5 million in funding as students keep enrolling

According to the article, Denver has needed more bus routes, more furniture, more teachers, and more classrooms. New York schools ran special classes for processing and assimilation.

There is no indication that Jefferson County Schools have enough licensed teachers or had public assimilation workshops. However, teachers are generally dedicated professionals who do their best in challenging situations. The children are in good hands.

Jefferson County is listed on some sites as being an official sanctuary county. Records show that Jefferson County has not detained a single person for ICE in over a year.

Migrants find access to Lakewood resources through the non-profit network set up to help homeless. This at a time when Lakewood is set to approve the largest homeless assistance appropriation in it’s history, on Feb 12, 2024. Almost all homeless resources are available without an ID required.

Survey Results for Homeless or Migrant Assistance

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 8, 2024.

Two weeks ago, Lakewood Informer opened a survey to find out what residents were thinking about supporting the homeless and migrants. Lakewood doesn’t ask IF or HOW you want to support these communities. Residents are generally presented with fully implementable plans. See the Navigation Center for an example. This survey was an attempt to bridge the gap in asking the residents what they thought. It had as much turnout as many city surveys (100-200 respondents).

Thank you for your feedback!

Key Findings

Most respondents did not agree with the cities current plan for a low-barrier shelter
If people were to provide homeless assistance, the most favored alternative was a shelter that would require sobriety, self-help or responsibilities (there was no survey option for doing nothing)
Most respondents don’t want “free money” assistance
Homeless and migrant assistance are intertwined, or at least support by the same people
There were more people interested in answering a survey if anonymity was possible

Perhaps the most interesting finding was the strong correlation between free-money advocates and their personal spending. In simple terms, a person who would use free money, would also pay the most themselves (over $500). And exactly the opposite was also true, a person who wouldn’t use free money also wouldn’t pay it for themselves (0-$100).

So some people would take any amount of money or pay any price for homeless or migrant assistance.

Does this indicate that there are big spenders out there who could finance this project through their own philanthropy? Or does it suggest that the people who support the use of free money think it’s WORTH that much but really don’t expect to pay for it? Does it suggest that one group understands that free money isn’t free while the other does?

There is an apparent disconnect between the need for free money and the availability of funds.

Results:

Note: This survey was closed before the emergency citizens’ meeting which includes about 100 respondents.

31% of respondents support Lakewood's current plan for a low barrier shelter

If they didn't support a low-barrier shelter, 44% supported a shelter with contingencies, 29% supported more economic development, 27% supported mental health services

65% of people would pay 0-$100 for HOMELESS (no option for spending $0

57% would not vote for assistance if it was free

of the 43% would would use free money, 46% would spend over $500, 26% would spend $100-$500

Of the 57% who would not vote for free money, 93% would only pay 0-$100 for assistance themselves

Reader Recommended Business: Karen M Sweat, Certified Public Accountant

Is Lakewood eyeing JeffCo’s shuttered schools?

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 7, 2024.

Cross Post from The Gazette, Jimmy Sengenberger

In the face of Denver’s daunting $45 million migrant crisis, Lakewood’s city council recently embraced the role of a “good neighbor,” pledging support for a regional response to Denver’s migrant overflow at their Jan. 8 meeting.

Speculation has swirled that Lakewood hopes to exploit Jefferson County’s status as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction for illegal immigrants and acquire closed JeffCo schools to shelter migrants and homeless Coloradans.

… … …

Yet, as the city distances itself from these reports, questions linger. If there’s nothing to them, why does Jefferson County Schools appear poised to offload its shuttered schools to local municipalities at a discount — especially after renovating the buildings at a cost of millions of dollars just before closures due to declining enrollment?

Read the full story here. It’s worth it….

Huge Turnout for Citizens’ meeting

Written by Lakewood News from Karen on February 6, 2024.

Note: this page has updated media coverage links at the bottom

An accurate estimate of attendance was impossible. No more people could fit into the room. There were people lining the landings, the lobby and the parking lot. The number 500 was tossed around but who knows.

People really wanted to talk about the possibility of Lakewood supporting migrants. Most participants did not seem to want to provide any support, but most everyone was respectful and everyone wanted more information on what Lakewood was doing.

For the many people asking what to do next, former Council Member Mary Janssen recommends coming to the Feb 12 City Council meeting and letting your voice be heard.

On the 12th, Council will vote on appropriating $9.3 million dollars for the Navigation Center, those funds will be used for buying and remodeling the building for a shelter. They will also hear from the City Manager about options with Denver and they decide whether there are any actions they can take immediately or what may be worth pursuing at a slower pace.

There were two flyers being circulated for what residents can do next.