On Tuesday, Urban Peak staff stood at attention in the Great Room, eagerly awaiting the first busload of youth being dropped off at their new home. As our first few clients stepped off the bus and through the entranceway, the whole room burst into applause and cheers.

A long-awaited project to reduce youth homelessness came to fruition on Wednesday as Denver nonprofit Urban Peak opened its $38 million, 136-bed homeless shelter.

Urban Peak CEO Christina Carlson says the opening of the four-story building in Overland marks a new chapter in the 30-year history of the Denver-based nonprofit, which provides housing for youth experiencing homelessness.

Urban Peak ignites the potential in youth to exit homelessness and create self-determined, fulfilled lives. Visit UrbanPeak.org for more.

“There is nothing like this in Denver. There is nothing like this anywhere,” said Urban Peak CEO Christina Carlson as she gave The Colorado Sun a tour of the building on a chilly morning when melting snow dripped through the unfinished roof onto cement floors.

“As we mourn someone we care deeply about, we get to look to the future,” Carlson said. “We are deep believers that this project and the work that we are doing in the city and in the state, and at the federal level, can really change and save lives.”

"This is the biggest investment that we've ever made in a shelter and this type of transitional space for youth to seek stability. It is so meaningful for youth experiencing homelessness," Executive Director of the Department of Housing Stability Britta Fisher said. "It feels really great to have this as a bookend event as I close out my chapter with the city."

On Wednesday, August 24th, Urban Peak’s shelter services temporarily moved to our Drop-In Center at 2100 Stout Street, known as The Spot.

“The people of Denver said, when it comes to our recovery and the city we want to be after the pandemic, this is the type of investment we want to see – investments that will have a multi-generational impact,” Mayor Hancock said.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to approve legislation that will provide nearly $13.3 million sought by U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) to fund 10 key projects designed to make more housing, health care and mental health services available throughout the Denver area.