The City of Denver is considering leasing a former school site to establish a shelter for newly arrived immigrants, even though officials hope such a service will not be necessary.
Last month, city officials announced they were exploring the possibility of purchasing the vacant Remington School site in the Sunnyside neighborhood to create an emergency shelter. However, no final decisions were made at that time.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson confirmed that the city is in talks to lease the Remington School from Denver Public Schools. This shelter would only be activated during a surge in immigrant arrivals. The city did not disclose any financial details regarding the lease.
“This site would have around-the-clock security and would only be used in emergencies,” said Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Mayor Mike Johnston. He added that the city is committed to addressing community concerns and aims to be a good neighbor to local businesses and residents.
The proposed shelter would be located in Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval’s district, near Pecos Street and Interstate 70. Sandoval indicated that a zoning change is being proposed to allow overnight stays for up to 20 individuals at the Remington site.
To engage with local residents, the city will hold a community meeting at the former school on October 29 at 6 p.m. Ewing emphasized that plans are still in preliminary stages.
Despite recent discussions, the number of new arrivals has decreased significantly in recent months. Over the past two years, more than 40,000 immigrants have come to the Denver metro area. The city initially implemented a large-scale response plan but has since shifted its focus from emergency shelters to long-term housing and job support for those who remain.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has faced financial challenges related to this response plan, asking the City Council to cut $45.5 million from the 2024 budget to manage costs.
Currently, new immigrant arrivals are so low that the city has stopped tracking their numbers. Ewing noted that transportation assistance to other cities has also been discontinued.
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