COMMUNITY NEWS THE CITY OF ARVADA FROM ABOVE | COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA PLANS SCRAPPED FOR OLD EARLY COLLEGE OF ARVADA TO BECOME HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER STORY BY ISABEL GUZMAN ON JAN. 27, THE CITY OF ARVADA unanimously voted to sell the old Early College of Arvada building, following months of resident pushback about the city’s plans to turn the building into a homeless navigation center. Located at 4905 W 60th Ave, the building was approved for purchase by Arvada in July 2024. While the initial plan for the building was not immediately determined, the city suggested it could house a navigation center or emergency shelters. “The original purchase of that building was not necessarily for a navigation center,” Kerry Wrenick, Jefferson County’s regional homeless coordinator said. “The council has not decided on solutions…they’ve [acknowledged] the issue of homelessness, but the specifics are still being discussed.” According to a report by Rylee Dunn with The Arvada Press, residents protested using the building as a navigation center during a town hall on Sept. 17. By the time the city council met on Oct 7, the number of residents opposing the proposal had increased. During that October meeting, Arlington Meadows resident Karen DeAguero expressed her frustration, stating that the council had disregarded resident input when pushing forward with plans for the homeless navigation center, calling it “swift without genuine community consultation.” DeAugero along with other Arlington Meadows residents, operates Arvada Voices, a neighborhood website with resources such as food banks and shelter phone numbers and addresses, crime statistics, and self-published news. The organization published a draft of a report, “Critical Analysis: Proposed Navigation Center at 4905 W. 60th Ave., Arvada, Adams County, CO,” which is an analysis of, “facts, timelines, and existing homelessness resources in Arvada, JeffCo, and Adams County to facilitate a more well-rounded discussion regarding the formerly-proposed homeless shelter at the former Early College of Arvada.” The analysis states that navigation centers are typically linked to an increase in crime and decreased property values. It cites Denver’s Navigation Center’s 317% increase in crime after opening, with 911 calls increasing by 2,907%, according to a CBS News Colorado report. However, Wrenick disagrees. “That’s not a fair comparison of size and scope. A shelter in Denver isn’t something that can be fairly compared to this proposed navigation center,” she said. “When you reference data, it’s easy to cherry-pick the things you want to highlight, whether that invokes fear or gets a buy-in. I think that’s the greatest concern that I’ve seen.” “When people say, ‘navigation center,’ it has been misconstrued to then turn into a shelter,” Wrenick said. “To me, a navigation center is a physical space that offers services and support to help individuals get out of their current circumstances and gain a path towards stability.” Arvada officials told the Denver VOICE, “The City had not progressed to the point that specific programming had been identified for the proposed navigation center. That said, the basic proposal was for a one-stop location designed to meet the needs of the unhoused community through lowbarrier access to a variety of services aimed at transitioning folks to stable housing.” In response to solutions to address homelessness in Arvada, the Arvada Voices report says, “Arlington Meadows residents propose an alternative vision for the ECA site, emphasizing community-focused initiatives such as educational programs, childcare services, and other resources that uplift the neighborhood… By reimagining the ECA site as a hub for community enrichment, the city can create a safer, more supportive environment that reflects the values and needs of its residents.” The analysis also stresses that Arvada City Council and Arlington Meadows residents must strive for transparency and open dialogue to make informed decisions about proposals such as the navigation center. “Engagement with stakeholders, including both housed and homeless individuals, is crucial for achieving balanced solutions. Residents must also insist on comprehensive data, such as the impacts of existing Navigation Centers in other areas, crime statistics specific to neighborhoods with similar facilities, and feedback from residents and homeless individuals about their experiences,” the analysis says. Specifics of community-focused initiatives and using the ECA as a hub for community enrichment were not detailed in the report. “Based on community feedback, it is clear that engagement was not adequate,” the City of Arvada said. “The city organization needs to partner with and collaborate with partner organizations as well as our community… We are working to develop specific engagement opportunities that could include a stakeholder advisory committee, meetings, surveys, or other methods for sharing information and listening to the community.” In addition to discussions about navigation centers, Arvada officials noted that the city developed a Housing Strategic Plan last year that identifies Arvada’s housing goals, policies, programs, and resources to address housing needs with a focus on strengthening mental health services and job training programs through partnerships with local organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness. The Denver VOICE reached out to DeAguero for comment regarding the City’s decision to sell the building and possible next steps. However, no response was received by the time this article was published. March 2025 DENVER VOICE 5
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