Latest news with #JamieTorres
CBS News
16-07-2025
- CBS News
Denver city council approves increase in penalties for owners of abandoned properties
Denver City Councilman Paul Kashmann has served in his role for a decade and says complaints about neglected and abandoned buildings have consistently been an issue throughout that time. That prompted him to team up with his colleagues to make changes. Boarded up walls, garbage and graffiti are rarely a welcomed sight. "It really degrades quality of life in the community," said Kashmann. Yet hundreds of these abandoned buildings exist throughout Denver. "A neighborhood nuisance ranging from 'Gee, it just looks terrible,' to we had an abandoned bank on East Evans Avenue where a murder took place," Kashmann said. In an effort to hold the owners of these property accountable for issues, Kashmann and Councilwomen Jamie Torres and Amanda Sawyer co-sponsored an amendment to update the city's neglected and derelict buildings ordinance. "One of the first things that I put forward was a suggestion that we raised the fines applicable," he said. The update passed with unanimous support and increases fines for violations from $999 to up to $5,000 per day and also creates a service response fee of up to $5,000 per response by first responders when three or more calls for service occur within six months. "We've come up with a system that's going to put much more pressure on property owners to be good neighbors when we're not asking them to jump through hoops, just asking for them to be good neighbors," Kashmann Kashmann hopes this will also bring change to a problem property in his neighborhood. "I'm actually losing my patience on that particular property," said Kashmann. "The weeds are four feet high, and there's graffiti, and, you know, junk's piling up on the property. And it's not just me, every council member will tell you the same story about properties in their district." The new ordinance won't take effect until February, which gives the owners of roughly 300 of these properties in Denver to act. Meanwhile the councilman says he's already receiving thanks for work the city council has done to tackle the issue.
Axios
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Salvation Army contract extension faces scrutiny amid security concerns
A plan to add $4.6 million to an existing Salvation Army contract with the city to operate its busiest homeless shelter includes terms intended to improve safety. The big picture: Denver City Council members on Wednesday forwarded a bill to the full council to extend the contract to run the Crossroads Center, pushing the total to $19.4 million. Why it matters: It's an eyebrow-raising sum for a nonprofit facing criticism over its poor safety record in other Denver-area shelters. A sexual assault and multiple shootings occurred at shelter sites operated by the Salvation Army over the past year. Threat level: Its final approval isn't guaranteed, as council members on Wednesday voiced security-related concerns just two months after dropping a separate deal with the nonprofit. Councilmember Jamie Torres said Wednesday she's already received messages to reject the contract, including from a local advocacy group, the Housekeys Action Network Denver. The group called the conditions at Crossroads "deplorable" and included multiple anonymous complaints from people who stayed there in an open letter. By the numbers: The proposed extension covers staffing and operational costs through December, and is calculated based on an average cost of $41 per person per night, city documents show. Roughly $2.5 million pays for salaries and benefits for 38 staff members, with the remainder covering maintenance, meals and supplies for people staying at the shelter, deputy director of shelter and stability Jeff Kositsky. The roughly 300-bed emergency shelter in the Five Points neighborhood is owned by the city and available 24/7 for men exclusively, often running near capacity. The Salvation Army will contribute $1 million to run the center. The intrigue: The additional money comes with stipulations, including a requirement for the Salvation Army to submit a security plan for Denver's Department of Housing Stability to review. The Salvation Army will remain responsible for managing security, and the city will install kiosks to allow people who stay at Crossroads to submit feedback, per Kositsky. What they're saying: Keeping Crossroads open is in the best interest of people who rely on it, though safety concerns are legitimate, Councilmember Amanda Sawyer said during Wednesday's meeting.
