Homelessness and Housing Updates in Arvada

I had the pleasure of joining the Arvada Business Improvement District’s (BID) monthly meeting on August 27th, 2025. The room was full of business leaders and community members who care deeply about making Arvada an inclusive, safe, and thriving city for all residents. Their commitment to collaboration and problem-solving was clear throughout the conversation. Below are a few takeaways from the meeting.

RecoveryWorks to Become 365 Shelter

RecoveryWorks closed on May 1 for renovations and is expected to reopen as Jefferson County’s first year-round shelter. Plans call for the program to house up to 103 people through outside agency referrals. Unlike Mission Arvada, it is not anticipated to operate as a daytime drop-in center. An opening date of December 1 was initially proposed, but ongoing maintenance and sewage issues could push the timeline later into the winter.

Suburban Suites Hotel Program

At Suburban Suites, about 35 people are currently being housed through the hotel voucher system. Discussions are underway about expanding that number to as many as 60 vouchers this winter. This program is seen as one way to increase emergency weather shelter capacity during extreme cold events, though the scale and sustainability of the expansion remain uncertain.

Mission Arvada

Mission Arvada continues to serve an estimated 60–70 people daily and has recently referred around two dozen individuals into housing programs. Leaders have confirmed that Mission will not serve as Arvada’s cold-weather shelter this winter. Instead, they are exploring partnerships with other faith-based and nonprofit organizations to meet the need. The hope is to establish an Arvada Overnight Weather Shelter as a separate, stand-alone effort—but this would require dedicated funding and staffed positions to operate effectively.

CORE

The City’s CORE team has reportedly been stepping up enforcement in Olde Town, which has had the effect of moving unhoused individuals into nearby neighborhoods and commercial areas. Officials emphasized that resources are available but not always being used, and some have noted an uptick in people coming from Denver. The perception of Arvada as a “friendlier” environment has been cited as one factor. The City is working to strike a balance between maintaining community safety and ensuring resources are directed where they are most effective.

City Funding Decisions

The City voted to allocate $500,000 to Jefferson County, mostly dedicated to hotel vouchers this winter. This amount is based on Arvada’s share of the county population, rather than Arvada’s unhoused population. Some residents have questioned whether this formula reflects local need and also raised concerns about impacts when large groups leave shelters or hotels at once after short-term cold-weather programs end.

Council also approved a $1.6 million interest-free advance to the Arvada Center, in addition to its $1.6 million annual funding, with repayment scheduled over 10 years. 

The Family Tree housing project at 56th and Marshall has also begun placing individuals under a “housing first” model, which does not require participation in services as a condition of housing.

Additional Updates

The BID is in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, which would allow future contributions to be tax-deductible and create new opportunities for donors to directly support community initiatives.

These updates reflect ongoing conversations and evolving plans. Many details—including timelines, funding, and program structures—are still in motion as the City, County, and local organizations work together. What stood out most at the BID meeting, however, was the shared commitment of local business leaders to staying engaged and ensuring Arvada remains a welcoming and thriving place for everyone.

Lilian Allish 

Founder & Business Correspondent