The center is operated by HomewardBound of Grand Valley and funded by the city of Grand Junction. HomewardBound recently requested increased funding for additional staff at the center.

“It’s definitely hurting our business,” said Steven Reimer, owner of several downtown hotels, including the Springhill Suites, the Tru by Hilton and the Fairfield Inn & Suites. “This is a concern for our staff and their safety.”

Reimer said he understood the complex nature of the problem, but the resource center began to affect his business.

“It’s not a problem with what HomewardBound does, or the customers they serve, it’s just the location that was chosen for them,” Reimer said. “It’s extremely expensive and difficult for businesses and people who live and work in this area.”

Reimer said that because hotels are open 24/7, they bear the brunt of the effects after the center closes, which includes unhoused people who come in trying to get a free breakfast , who are trying to find a place to sleep and people suffering from mental health. problems that cause problems.

“All of this is really taking a toll on us, our staff,” Reimer said.

Reimer said issues related to unhoused people were happening before the resource center opened, but have now increased.

“There are just more people in this area of ​​downtown than there used to be,” Reimer said. “I’m not here to say we didn’t have problems before. We grew up downtown, we love being downtown. There are things you have to deal with and accept if you want to live in an inner city and homelessness is one of them. So we had those problems, but nothing like what we have now.

Reimer said recent reviews of the Tru by Hilton on Colorado Avenue mentioned the center.

“These reviews are having an impact, and they will continue to have an impact,” Reimer said.

Several members of the Grand Junction Elks Lodge have complained to the city about increased vandalism, drug use and other problems since the resource center opened.

“What happens after these doors close is we see a lot of our problems,” said Elks Lodge member Jeremy Scheetz. “More funding, more staff will not solve the problem. »

Scheetz said the lodge, located between Fourth Street and Ute Avenue, is losing revenue because people aren’t spending money at the lodge because of issues with unhoused people.

“We’re getting to the point where we’re losing business,” Scheetz said.

Elks Lodge member Tad Hatter said members have had to call 911 six times since the resource center opened.

“We’ve had homeless people here forever and we’ve never had a problem,” Hatter said.

Before Whitman Park closed, it was a gathering place for unhoused people during the day.

Ben Van Dyke, owner of Van’s Car Wash, said he was promised people would leave the area in the evening after the resource center closed, but it became clear very quickly that was not the case .

Van Dyke also said he’s had to evict more people than ever before for trespassing.

“It’s been a constant struggle,” he said.

Jody Visconti Clow, who runs the nearby Catholic Outreach day center, said there are many resources in the area so the resource center is not needed.

Clow said 911 calls are increasing and the severity of incidents is increasing since the resource center opened.

Despite these concerns, people who work at the resource center and with the population it serves said the center is having a positive impact.

“If we don’t come together to identify the root causes and really work with the affected community, then we’re not going to get anywhere, and we’re doing that here at the Resource Center,” Stephania said. Vasconez, executive director of Mutual Aid Partners.

Mutual Aid Partners hosts a Tuesday distribution day that draws a lot of people to the resource center.

“I would say people are scared, they’re scared that this place, a place that has become one of the only safe places for people to come and just be, they’re scared that it’s going to be taken away from them,” Kristen said Seidel. , program and outreach coordinator for Mutual Aid Partners.

Richard Kristin, a volunteer at the center, said those in power have told the community that the resource center is full of drugs and violence, which has made people afraid of the center.

“I think people are afraid and when they have little or no information about this place, it leads to anxiety and fear, and that leads to a host of other emotions,” Kristin said.

Sentinel editor Dale Shrull contributed to this story.

Next Sunday

HomewardBound Resource Center volunteers continue to do their work despite calls for change.