Inside the National Western Complex Homeless Shelter

Westword Staff April 9, 2020 15:27PM

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The National Western Complex's Hall of Education on April 8, when officials began to set up the auxiliary shelter.

The City of Denver will soon open a large homeless shelter in the Hall of Education at the National Western Complex; it will have room for 600 men. (A women's shelter is in the works.)

Mayor Michael Hancock had wanted to set up an auxiliary shelter that could accommodate 1,000 or more, but that depended on Governor Jared Polis deploying the Colorado National Guard for the project. This is plan B, Hancock says. Polis is instead deploying 250 National Guard members to help with existing shelters.

And the increased aid is coming just in time: Snow is predicted for the weekend.