• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
WRAP

WRAP

Western Regional Advocacy Project

  • Donate Now
  • Get Email Updates
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • 20 Years of Unhoused People Fighting for Dignity + Respect
    • 40 Years of Fighting
    • History
    • Mission
    • Strategy
    • Members
    • Board / Staff
  • Campaigns
    • Business Improvement Districts
    • House Keys Not Sweeps
      • TARGETED, BANISHED, DISPLACED & SWEPT
    • Legal Defense Clinics Project
    • Homeless Bill of Rights
    • Without Housing
    • Street Outreach
  • Organizing Tools
    • Without Housing Organizing Toolkit
    • Homeless Bill of Rights Campaign Manual
    • WRAP Organizers Manual
    • WRAP Artwork
  • Resources
    • Pipe Dreams and Picket Fences Report
    • Art in Action Power Point Slide Show
    • Hobos to Street People
    • House Keys Book
    • Political Education
    • Legal Research
  • Media
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • Hobos to Street People Art Show
    • Street Newspapers
    • Sweeps Gallery Videos
    • Videos
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Sustainer
    • Volunteer
    • Support WRAP
    • WRAP Newsletters & Updates Sign Up

Denver, CO. Word from the Street on Holly Street Shelter Temporary Closure 

July 14, 2022 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

Last week while out on outreach we learned from some men on the street that the Holly St Shelter was closing and they were just notified that day that they would have to be out and they had no idea where they were gonna stay the next night!@$ We reached out to the City on this and learned they are closing for renovations for about a month and that, according to the city, guests from Holly shelter were directed to stay at the Mission and Crossroads and that if needed the could ‘consider limited reactivation for Holly street but they don’t anticipate needing it’. 

This week we talked to a few men who stayed at Holly shelter about how the closer has been affecting folks. All of the men we spoke with said the transition was sudden and confusing. One man explained that most of the former Holly shelter guests were now staying at the Mission upstairs or in the hallways on mats on the floor, that others were bused to 48th st shelter, and that they didn’t know where others were staying. He said that Crossroads was full and no one moved to stay there. He told how hard it was for him as a disabled man to navigate the beds. Another man told how his friend, who we met also but he only speaks spanish, had landed on the streets in a tent due to the Holly closure because the hours that they have to be in the Mission would not allow for him to work at his job. 

We recently received records of shelter usage in May from the City. These records confirm what the man we met said about Crossroads being full. In May, Crossroads lowest bed usage was 293 out of 300 bed capacity and they have remained at or over capacity. So much for the City telling people to go to Crossroads!!#% 

The guest numbers at Holly shelter fluctuate ranging from 96 and 182 in May. So we are talking up to 180 men that normally stay at Holly who now need somewhere to stay. 

The Mission has a capacity for 175 people. Guest numbers ranged between 59 and 176 with an average of about 100 staying there. This leaves about 75 beds open for Holly guests if the Mission capacity is at an average or low use, not the high use which has run them at capacity. With a range of up to 182 guests at Holly and 96 on the lowest end, this ath does not add up for the Mission to shelter all these men.  

48th St shelter has a capacity for 450 and for the month of May they were at capacity or over with lowest usage at 433. If we consider the lowest usage that leaves 27 beds for Holly guests. 

No matter how you look at it, what is clear here is that assuming the existing shelters have room to take in all the men who had been staying at Holly is a stretch to say the least. They may be able to squeeze and smosh with added mats on the floor in the hallways and such, but for the City to say there is plenty of capacity is simply not true as confirmed by Holly guests and by the City’s shelter use records. And for others, like one of the men we met, shelter hours have left him out in a tent in order to hold his job.  

Housekeys Action Network Denver

Towards rights, dignity, housing…

email info@housekeysactionnetwork.com 

phone 701-484-2634

Filed Under: #housekeysnothandcuffs, Colorado, Denver, Housekeys Action Network Denver

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Footer

Instagram Feed

City Council Vote on Salvation Army Shelter Contra City Council Vote on Salvation Army Shelter Contract TODAY Monday 

The City Council is set to vote on renewing the Salvation Army’s contract to run Crossroads shelter today (Monday), and then set to discuss renewing their contract to run the Doubletree on Wednesday. 

Read More: https://wraphome.org/2025/06/16/denver-co-city-council-vote-on-salvation-army-shelter-contract-today-monday/
Since SCOTUS allowed cities to arrest and ticket p Since SCOTUS allowed cities to arrest and ticket people for experiencing homelessness a year ago, 250+ anti-homeless bills have been introduced across the US.
Join us June 17 w/ to discuss how we're fighting back. RSVP: https://buff.ly/1NFKz9F
For more information: wraphome.org or https://wrap For more information: wraphome.org
or
https://wraphome.org/2025/06/11/san-francisco-ca-for-immediate-release-mayor-luries-rv-plan-proposes-displacement-and-criminalization-amidst-burgeoning-housing-crisis/
"La Caballeria" San Francsico 16th & Mission Stree "La Caballeria" San Francsico 16th & Mission Street
The fight against the criminalization of houseless The fight against the criminalization of houselessness continues. Stand with us for justice. #HousingIsAHumanRight #StopTheSweeps
https://conta.cc/3FQ7Mud
repost @lacanetwork_official @adamofthesmiths When repost @lacanetwork_official @adamofthesmiths When they arrest our community, we don’t stay silent. We show up.

LAPD arrested LA CAN organizer Adam Smith inside City Hall while he was attempting to attend a public meeting — a clear attempt to intimidate and silence community voices.

Adam is facing a trespassing charge for simply showing up. Join us for court support and stick around after for some live music and to help film a music video.

When: June 4th, 2025 8:30 AM
Where: Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Dept 40, 210 W Temple St in Los Angeles
For more info, go to: tinyurl.com/Adam6425
L.A.’s mayor declared a homelessness emergency. L.A.’s mayor declared a homelessness emergency. Now, some at City Hall want to move past it https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-29/l-a-s-mayor-declared-a-homelessness-emergency-now-some-want-to-end-it
🔥 Hot off the presses! WRAP's got a new shirt 👕 with an inspiring message...We have nothing to lose but our ⛓️ chains! Available now https://givebutter.com/WRAPdonate
LACAN, Los Angeles Community Action Network https: LACAN, Los Angeles Community Action Network https://www.instagram.com/p/DJpwYq2S8Me/
The roots of Neoliberal Fascism in America today, The roots of Neoliberal Fascism in America today, and what we can do about it! We could write a whole article on the shit storm that has hit at the federal level and then reel off reactionary oppressive measures that local and state governments are imposing in response to the massive numbers of people they know damn well are going to be dying, suffering, hurting, living in the streets — and be mad as hell. https://conta.cc/4iWZe2j
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Facebook Icon

Facebook Feed

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Link thumbnail

What is the cost of encampment ‘resolution’?

thestreetspirit.org

Oakland’s Encampment Management Team raises a row of wooden buildings on East 12th Street, May 12, 2025. Photo by Bradley Penner. Oakland...
15 hours ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Twitter Icon

Twitter Feed

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

YouTube icon

Youtube Code

Our Channel

Copyright © 2025 Western Regional Advocacy Project WRAP · Log in