The Salvation Army has been a steadfast partner to the City and County of Denver for years, dedicating its human and financial resources to supporting the city’s efforts to address homelessness. When The Salvation Army announced it would conclude its operation of the city’s three hotel shelters after fulfilling its contracts through December 2025, the city responded not with gratitude, but with insinuation that The Army was no longer welcome in this space.
As leaders of The Salvation Army Denver Metro Advisory Board, we find this response disingenuous and deeply disappointing. Few agencies have stepped forward in recent years to partner with the city on sheltering our unhoused neighbors. Perhaps they’ve seen how current partners — those who’ve carried the weight of this work — have been treated.
Time and again, when isolated incidents occurred at these shelters, the city stepped back and allowed The Salvation Army to shoulder the blame. Meanwhile, criticisms about the buildings themselves — heat, cold, pests, broken appliances, safety concerns — rest squarely on the city, which owns the facilities. The Salvation Army operates the programs and provides pathways to stable housing.
Let the numbers speak. Across the three hotel shelters, The Salvation Army has housed up to 1,800 people nightly and helped 1,994 individuals transition into stable housing — 52% of those served, compared to a national average of 30%.
Every guest receives case management and wrap-around services. This is the city’s strategy, executed by The Salvation Army with excellence.
And yet, The Salvation Army has its own proven programs — like the Harbor Light Center, where 86% of graduates maintain sobriety and stability. These programs save lives. Is it any wonder the organization wants to refocus on its core mission?
The toll of this partnership has been immense. Since 2020, The Salvation Army has been central to the city’s emergency sheltering efforts, including operating eight shelters and leading the response at the Denver Coliseum during the pandemic. Former Mayor Michael B. Hancock publicly praised The Salvation Army’s role. Without their support, the pandemic’s impact on our unhoused neighbors would have been far worse.
Five years of relentless service has taken its toll. The work is exhausting. The operational challenges are constant. The Salvation Army has done more than any other agency in Denver.
Financially, the burden of covering costs up front has been staggering. The contracts were rolled out so quickly by the city in 2023, in an unprecedented scale of operation, that the organization was not able to anticipate all the costs that such an operation would entail.
In 2024 alone, The Salvation Army spent over $5.2 million, which will be slowly reimbursed, operating the three hotel shelters. In 2025, it went six months without reimbursement from the city, struggling to make payroll for three consecutive months. This is not sustainable.
We serve on The Salvation Army’s Advisory Board because we believe in its mission to meet human need in Jesus’ name without discrimination. We’ve seen its heart, its integrity, and its impact. The city should be thanking The Salvation Army — not casting doubt on its commitment.
Let’s be clear: on August 11, when HOST leadership learned The Salvation Army would not renew its shelter contracts, they pleaded for the organization to continue operating all three shelters beyond December 31. That speaks volumes.
The Salvation Army is, quite simply, Doing The Most Good. It’s time the city acknowledged that — with respect, gratitude, and grace.
Elbra Wedgeworth was a Denver City Councilwoman from 1999-2007 who served two years as Council president. Debbie Ortega was on the City Council from 1987-2003 and from 2011-2023, who served two years as Council president. Liz Stillwell is a businesswoman. Larry Burgess is a business owner. All four are members of the Salvation Army Advisory Board — Intermountain Division.
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