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Lakewood Shifts Blame to RecoveryWorks

June 7, 2026/

Lakewood blamed RecoveryWorks for previous problems at the city homeless shelter. Shifting the blame made it easier to get a Special Use Permit for the shelter on June 3, 2026. Instead of taking responsibility for the problems they created, city staff said crime and people overflow were caused by RecoveryWorks. RecoveryWorks was managing the property as Lakewood’s handpicked, sole-sourced contractor. The special use permit was approved, which allows Lakewood to continue shelter use with a new operator. Most of the online comments were in favor of granting the permit. However, Lakewood had three misinformation narratives throughout the permit hearing that show they are not acting in good faith: Shifting the blame Dismissing crime rates Claiming no permit was needed

911 calls per address. Red star is Navigation Center

911 Calls Show Deteriorating Conditions Around Navigation Center

June 3, 2026/

Why hasn’t Lakewood done a safety analysis to show there is no substantial harm in giving the Navigation Center a special use permit? Lakewood is not protecting the current residents and business interests, which is just as important as serving regional homeless. The desire to do good is only half the equation. Demonstrating this use will not substantially impair nearby properties is the other half. The map above shows the number of 911 calls made to the highlighted address since September 2023. This map is incomplete where property addresses did not match Lakewood database. You can see the high number of calls made to the Navigation Center property compared to other properties in the half-mile radius.

Jeffco Schools Presents Mill Levy Increase to City Council

May 29, 2026/

Lakewood and the Jefferson County School District are once again demonstrating how to exploit loopholes to unofficially campaign for a ballot issue. The Jeffco School District Superintendent received time on the Lakewood City Council agenda to give a presentation that included why Jeffco Schools may need to ask for a mill levy override. The school district currently has a $60 million deficit. There were no other points of view presented, just the school district saying they’d need more money.

Lakewood Student Wins Credit Union of Colorado Foundation Scholarship

May 29, 2026/

Credit Union of Colorado Foundation is proud to announce the 2026 winners of its annual college scholarship program. The Foundation awarded 15 students with annual scholarships totaling $110,000 in tuition assistance for the 2026/2027 school year. Lakewood winner, Gemma McIntyre, will use the scholarship to help pay for her education at Colorado Mesa University.

Densification Advocacy Groups

May 28, 2026/

Many groups advocated for densification in 2026 at both local and state level. This list below can be used to identify key players in future campaigns.

Special Use Hearing on June 3 For Navigation Center

May 27, 2026/

The Lakewood Planning Commission is anticipated to approve a Special Use Permit for the Navigation Center on June 3, 2026. Lakewood staff have already made a presentation in favor of the permit. There are no neutral reports or equal opportunities for opposing viewpoints. While public comment is allowed, the way Lakewood interprets the Planning Commission rules means evidence needs to be presented AT THIS HEARING. Every public comment that was made in previous City Council meetings is meaningless unless repeated at the hearing. Testimony at the hearing that presents problems with the special use could result in the permit being denied.

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