Tag: homeless
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Homelessness in Colorado Springs: What solutions actually work
Homelessness remains a visible challenge on the streets of Colorado Springs, and people have strong opinions about how best to respond. Some emphasize treatment and accountability first. Others support a housing first approach and believe that stability must come before lasting change. Since the housing first model is the subject of debate, it’s fair to ask…
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The Salvation Army to reopen more family beds at its emergency shelter
After announcing in early November that The Salvation Army’s El Paso County branch had raised enough money to reopen five of the 16 homeless shelter units for families that the organization had temporarily closed by Oct. 1 due to financial problems, it’s taken nearly three months to get enough people hired to do so, officials…
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Maximum sentence handed down for man convicted of 2022 homicide over stolen ax
The Colorado Springs man convicted in the killing of another man over a stolen ax was sentenced to prison Monday, marking his second stint behind bars for a homicide charge in Colorado. Eric Felix, 49, was found guilty by an El Paso County jury of manslaughter for the Nov. 7, 2022, killing of Ricky Keiser.…
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New initiative to quickly rehouse those in housing crisis to be tested in Colorado Springs
As the federally required annual census of the homeless population gets underway on Sunday in Colorado Springs following a record-high count last year, a new experimental initiative launched community-wide on Tuesday to help reduce the number of people living on the streets. A homelessness diversion initiative being produced by the local nonprofit ChangeLine and funded…
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City’s parked vehicle strategy is incomplete
When I first heard about our locally proposed vehicle parking program for those living in cars – I was angry. Not because I lack compassion, but because I have lived it. I have housed individuals and families in transition for many years. Out of pocket. From experience, I know people should not be kept indefinitely…
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‘Safe parking’ for people living in their vehicles prepares to launch in Colorado Springs
Emergency Medical Technician Codi Natelli knows what it’s like to live in a cramped car with everything you own and sleep in a makeshift bed on a seat built for driving. After her dad drained the family’s bank account and took off, the three kids and their mom were evicted and spent two years living…
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Cold-weather protocols in Colorado Springs to include free bus rides to shelters, downtown terminal
In an effort to do everything Colorado Springs can to help people who are homeless get inside during this winter’s cold snaps, Mountain Metro Transit will provide free city bus rides for people to reach emergency shelters or the downtown bus hub. “We’ve had drivers say we’ve seen people who need a ride, they don’t…
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Holiday weekend weather necessitates adding more overnight shelter beds for street people in Colorado Springs
Colorado Spring property manager Tracey Porter usually can be found at lunchtime on Mondays feeding street people from her perch inside a mobile kitchen known as Food Trucks Against Homelessness. But on the first day of December, she was inside an old large gymnasium on the property of The Sanctuary Church dishing up baked ziti,…
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AROUND TOWN: We Fortify’s disco night a benefit for tiny-homes village and Care and Share
The crazy days of history’s club Studio 54 were “Staying Alive” once again as disco balls glittered and flashed to the beats of the Village People and Bee Gees. The Meanwhile Block in South Downtown was shimmering for a good cause Nov. 15 as the We Fortify tiny-house village program for housing-insecure young adults held…
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LETTERS: Re-evaluate decision; a gift worth protecting
Re-evaluate this decision I am deeply disappointed and angry at the failure of our elected city council officials,(with the exception of council Dave Donaldson)to protect our citizens, especially the vulnerable (seniors, disabled, children) by choosing to allow the continuation of car camping. The data indicates that allowing people to live in their car will not…