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Guatemala becoming tourism hot spot for young travelers

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Guatemala becoming tourism hot spot for young travelers


Adventurous travelers seeking beauty and budget thrills should look no further than Guatemala: a friendly country that remains largely unexplored by many Americans, but can be reached in as little as six hours from Denver.

A question I fielded several times before my late February trip: Why Guatemala?

My partner and I have made a habit of planning at least one international trip each year. Actually, I’ll shoulder most of the blame — nothing scratches my travel itch like a new passport stamp. But because we’re early-career professionals, with limited stockpiles of paid time off and inevitable bills, a month-long vacation to Southeast Asia or Eastern Europe is out of the question (for now).

Last summer, I found myself in a rabbit hole of research: Panama, Aruba, Curaçao. Slowly, the pieces fell together for Guatemala.

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Compared to my other potential destinations, Denver International Airport offers inexpensive connecting flights to Guatemala City that take a minimum of around six hours of travel time. I started to hear about this friend or that roommate who had visited — or even temporarily moved to — the Central American country over the past few years and couldn’t get enough of it.

Residents of Antigua, Guatemala, wake up every Sunday during Lent, and create alfombras — intricately designed “carpets” made of flower petals and sawdust dyed in every color. (Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton/The Denver Post)

Social media platform TikTok features videos of jet-setters of every creed successfully journeying through the tourist destinations of Antigua and Lake Atitlán, offering tips on how to navigate the nation. By August, our accommodations were booked.

Both sets of our parents initially balked at the idea. My dad had previously flown to Guatemala City on business, and was confined within the limits of Central America’s largest metropolis. Like others in the baby boomer and Generation X demographics, much of what they’d grown up hearing about the country was related to its conditions during the Guatemalan Civil War, which lasted 36 years.

However, over the past decade, the nation’s tourism industry has consistently grown — minus a setback during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data-gathering platform Statista. And I was hearing piqued interest from millennials and zoomers about making the trip south. At the Cherry Creek Shopping Center days before my trip, a clerk peppered me with questions about my itinerary as she considered doing the same.

After my editors gave me the green light to briefly chase a story on the ground, the trip became both work and play — four days off, two days on. I took the necessary precautions learned on my last reporting trip to Peru in the pre-COVID era: monitor travel advisories with the U.S. State Department, submit my itinerary to the agency’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and set an appointment with a travel clinic to get relevant vaccines.

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With interviews set and bags packed, we hopped on our 6 a.m. American Airlines flight, then stopped briefly at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, before touching down in the early afternoon at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. On the flight, our seat neighbor — a Guatemalan who planned to visit her family for a long weekend before heading back to the U.S. — excitedly shared her recommendations, then led us through the winding halls of the airport to customs and immigration.

Guatemala’s cash economy

After a quick and easy process, we were set to embark into a new country — and learned lessons pretty quickly. We brought cash because Guatemala is a cash-reliant economy, particularly outside of its capital city. The airport provides several opportunities to exchange dollars for quetzales, with $1 worth about 8 quetzales, as of mid-April. It’s best to fork over the added exchange fee there and avoid the inconvenience of hunting for a bank like we did later.

More than three million people reside in the city’s urban area, which is made up of 21 zones — some of which tourists are advised against visiting. We stayed one night in Zone 4, which a travel blog calls “the upcoming hipster area.” Zones 9 and 10 come highly recommended, too. We felt safe and relaxed in the neighborhood around our Airbnb — a unit in a modern apartment complex, with its own private patio.

Our plans for that first day were ambitious: see the National Palace of Culture, stop by the city’s market and eat dinner at steakhouse Hacienda Real Zona 10. Instead, we took in the sunset views on the rooftop of restaurant Los Tres Tiempos in the city’s historical district, cocktails and croquetas de pache — mozzarella croquettes made of Guatemalan potato dough — in hand, before turning in. But if you’re short on time or not a big city person, then you can skip visiting the capital like most tourists do.

Disclaimer: I’m not sure what it would be like to travel through Guatemala without a Spanish speaker by my side. Spanish and even some Mayan dialects take precedence over English throughout the country. Because that’s my partner’s first language, I didn’t have to put my rudimentary skills to the test. However, I encountered plenty of Europeans and North Americans who managed to make it from Point A to Point B.

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A scene from the tourist area of Central Park in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Many indigenous local people work in the informal economy because the lack of employment opportunities. (Photo by Morena Perez Joachin/Special to The Denver Post)
A scene from the tourist area of Central Park in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Many indigenous local people work in the informal economy because of the lack of employment opportunities. (Morena Perez Joachin/Special to The Denver Post)

Antigua

The next morning started with the one-hour drive west to the colonial city of Antigua. Visitors have several options for transportation. Uber is available, and we used it for a short ride in Guatemala City, but I’d read enough mixed reviews for me to largely opt against it. The bravest — and stingiest — of travelers sometimes ride the chicken buses: decorated buses that serve as public transportation. However, I’d also seen a litany of online grievances, as the buses can often run unreliably and feel crowded, with the risk of pickpockets.

Instead, we used private cars and shared shuttle services to travel from town to town, which are affordable by American standards. Viator Travel served as a trusty resource for finding highly-reviewed drivers, who often arrived early and provided a smooth ride.

Our two nights in Antigua left us wishing for more time. There, activities abound — sightseeing at the famous Santa Catalina Arch and Central Park, bartering at the massive Mercado Central and eating so many piping-hot tortillas. My go-to breakfast for days in a row: plantains, refried beans, farmer’s cheese and eggs soaked in salsa, scooped into tortillas and washed down with that famous Guatemalan coffee.

Explore the sprawling Mercado Central in Antigua, Guatemala, which has indoor and outdoor sections. (Photo by Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton/The Denver Post)
Explore the sprawling Mercado Central in Antigua, Guatemala, which has indoor and outdoor sections. (Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton/The Denver Post)

Antigua is the place to buy souvenirs. I scored a Mayan cookbook, plus trinkets for my family like handmade worry dolls: tiny dolls that you tuck under your pillow to whisk away your stresses as you dream. It’s also the spot for nightlife, with several dozen bars and restaurants concentrated in a walkable area that’s both spotless and safe.

Speaking of walking, follow our lead and bring a duffle or weekend bag, instead of a suitcase. Otherwise, navigating the cobblestone roads can quickly turn into the bane of your existence. And wear comfortable sneakers. We walked almost 9 miles one day, but that’s the best way to find hole-in-the-wall joints like restaurant Cafeteria La Concepcion, which is where I tried the traditional dish of pepián de pollo, a Guatemalan chicken stew.

Depending on the timing of your trip, you could also experience a local festival. I was delighted to realize that we visited ahead of Semana Santa, or Holy Week, with Guatemala considered a deeply Christian country. Street vendors sell cheap delicacies, such as empanadas de leche, or sweet cream empanadas. Antigua residents wake up every Sunday during Lent and create alfombras — intricately designed “carpets” made of flower petals and sawdust dyed in every color — on the streets before the evening’s religious procession. Then, just hours later, the temporary creations are stepped on and swept up.

From Antigua, you can admire the surrounding peaks of towering volcanoes, and tour operators like OX Expeditions take hikers on excursions to Pacaya, Acatenango and Agua volcanoes. We signed up for an easy sunset hike up to Pacaya and its lava fields. The other two are known as longer, more intense endeavors. I would strongly advise any hiking hopefuls to cough up the money and join a group because robberies of solo tourists are common along the trails.

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Lake Atitlán

My first work day was spent reporting in Jocotenango, a town on the outskirts of Antigua, with the team at the nonprofit Education for the Children Foundation. They run the School of Hope, a free private school for disadvantaged students. I chatted with pupils and teachers during the school day. Then, U.S. executive director Sara Miller drove me around town and up to La Vista Hermosa, a shantytown of homes built illegally on the hillside where about 150 of the school’s families reside.

As a journalist, I’m grateful to have spent those hours getting the perspective that tourists often don’t see, but, for that reason, I won’t highlight Jocotenango as a place that visitors need on their itineraries. Then, we hopped in a shared shuttle — a small van that fits 10 passengers — for the three-hour ride to Lake Atitlán. If you get car sick, then it is absolutely necessary to bring non-drowsy motion sickness medicine to survive the winding roads.

Lake Atitlán is often referred to as “the Lake Como of Latin America,” referencing the Italian lake in the Alps’ foothills. It’s also held sacred by the nation’s Mayan population — Guatemala’s largest Indigenous group. Outside of Guatemala City, Native people in their traditional garb are a common sight. A Mayan woman typically wears a corte (skirt), huipil (blouse) and faja (belt), and you come across shops selling the clothing in different colors and patterns.

Admire the street art installations in San Juan La Laguna at Lake Atitlan. (Photo by Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton/The Denver Post)
Admire the street art installations in San Juan La Laguna at Lake Atitlán. (Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton/The Denver Post)

Upon arriving at the lake, you’re typically dropped off in Panajachel — one of almost a dozen towns and villages sitting on the water’s edge. There, I spent my final day of reporting at the headquarters of nonprofit Friendship Bridge, which works with Indigenous women entrepreneurs to provide loans, business training and more.

Nicknamed Pana, the town is accessible by car, but several of the most popular destinations can only be reached by boat. Before departing Pana for other lakeside locations, stock up on sunscreen, beer or any other desirable products because the small stores in the remote villages offer limited stock.

Public and private lanchas, or boats, float at the main dock to ferry locals and tourists across the lake. Beeline for the cheap public option, which costs 10 to 25 quetzales, or you could be swindled by a private captain into paying hundreds of quetzales for your own boat. It’s a longer wait as the water taxi loads up on passengers, but it’s worthwhile for your wallet.

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The lake is a place to relax, swim and hop from village to village, which is exactly what my partner and I did on our last day of vacation. Boats are ever reliable on the lake, and you can flag one down at the nearest dock. But I wanted to try out a tuk-tuk — a doorless, three-wheeled vehicle, manned by a driver, who can transport you between towns. I highly recommend the very Guatemalan experience.

Our favorite village: San Juan La Laguna, which bursts with art, restaurants and merchants. Our least favorite: San Marcos La Laguna — a hippie haven, known for its yoga retreats and meditation centers. However, it felt very gentrified to me.

We didn’t get the chance to visit Santa Catarina Palopó, where the houses are painted in eye-popping colors. Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve has a prime spot for cliff jumping into the lake, which I’d add to my list when we return.

And that’s “when,” not “if,” because I’d happily fly back to Guatemala for a much longer trip in the future. Not only did I feel welcome and safe during my travels, but I also experienced an adventure that I won’t soon forget.

IF YOU GO

Where to eat:

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Los Tres Tiempos, 6ta. Avenida “A” 10-13 Zona 01, Azotea Del Edificio Centro Vivo, Cuidad de Guatemala: A chic rooftop restaurant, this is the ideal spot to watch the sun set in Guatemala City’s historical district. Enjoy 360-degree views of the Central American metropolis on the outdoor patio.

Cafeteria La Concepcion, H75F+5C4, Antigua: This unpretentious, hole-in-the-wall restaurant offers a limited menu for low prices, with top-tier Guatemalan food like pepián de pollo.

Restaurante 7 Caldos, 3a Calle Oriente 24, Antigua: Enter through the cobblestone street into an open-air restaurant where you can watch as your tortillas are made fresh. The expansive menu, which includes cocktails, is sure to satisfy most cravings.

Café 22, 6a Calle Poniente 8, Antigua: This small café feels like your own private courtyard. Stop by for a cup of Guatemalan espresso and lunch.

Casa Troccoli, H758+773, 5a Avenida Norte, Antigua: With its romantic architecture and expansive garden, date night should go smoothly at Casa Troccoli. Its red sangria is a great way to cool off, so check it out for a quick drink or a meal.

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Denver, CO

Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver are NWSL expansion finalists, says league commissioner Jessica Berman

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Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver are NWSL expansion finalists, says league commissioner Jessica Berman


On the eve of the NWSL championship in Kansas City, commissioner Jessica Berman addressed a wide range of issues facing the league. She reflected on a historic 2024 season with record viewership after the first year of the league’s new media rights deal and hinted at some of what lies ahead for NWSL expansion.

She also announced a new partnership with the formula company Bobbie, intending to increase the spotlight on parents in the league.

“It’s important for us all to be reminded that this league is really young and our growth is in front of us,” Berman said, after quickly acknowledging the league’s belated birthday. “Although it’s our 12th-year birthday, it’s actually only been the third season that the league has been independent, so imagine the growth that’s in front of us, given how short our runway has been to date.”

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In her remarks, Berman narrowed the list of potential expansion cities to three — Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver — and shared her thoughts on Caitlin Clark’s participation in the Cincinnati bid. While infrastructure remains a hot topic in the league, Berman remains adamant that top training facilities for teams will “become the norm.”

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Berman’s state of the league address.

NWSL expansion

On Friday, Berman confirmed three finalists in the expansion race to likely join Boston in 2026, following a surprise announcement Thursday night that WNBA star Caitlin Clark had joined the ownership group hoping to bring a team to Cincinnati.

“The process is ongoing, and we’re really enthusiastic about the final three prospects that we have in the process,” Berman said. “We’ll have news to share in the coming weeks as we move to close with one of those three markets.”

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The ownership group in Cincinnati has strong ties to Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati, suggesting that an NWSL club in the city would share facilities with the men’s team. The ownership group in Cleveland, meanwhile, has plans to build a new stadium for an NWSL team to share with an MLS Next club in the city’s downtown.

When asked about Denver, Berman kept its proposals under wraps.

“Not a lot of details to share here,” Berman said. “We’re just excited about being at the stage of the process where we are, particularly given all the interest leading up to this point.”

Berman also made clear that going beyond 16 teams is not off the table.

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“As we think about the geographic footprint of our country, we know that a 14-team league is not where we will end up. All of the men’s leagues are 30-plus teams for a reason,” she said. “In order to build the kind of national exposure and visibility and media deals that we think this league deserves, and our fans deserve, we know we need to be in more markets.”

NWSL youth development

Amid NWSL expansion, and with the elimination of the NWSL college draft earlier this year, conversations have been ongoing about how teams can better develop players.

Unlike MLS, the NWSL has yet to establish an academy system to develop players or better identify talent, even as younger players become professionals following the league’s establishment of the Under-18 Entry Mechanism.

“I think what you’ll see in the NWSL beginning as soon as 2025 is a stake in the ground around the pathway to pro and an iterative process year over year where we’ll be really intentional about the place in the ecosystem where our investment will make the biggest impact,” Berman said. “It may or may not look exactly the same in every market, and it may or may not look exactly the way it has been done in the men’s game.”

On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer announced that Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang was donating $30 million to the federation for women’s soccer. The funds, distributed over the next five years, will go toward women’s youth national team camps, talent identification and scouting, and female coach and referee education and mentorship.

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“One of the things that we think is really important as we’re building this league, and have the benefit of doing that in 2024, is that we can learn from the past and make sure, again, when we think about resources, that we’re investing our resources in the places that will have the biggest impact and make the biggest difference,” Berman said.

“I sit on the board of U.S. Soccer. They’re going to be doing a lot in the youth space. … We’re going to work really hard to ensure that we’re working in lockstep with U.S. Soccer, making sure to complement and not compete in any places.”

Last month, five former Wave employees filed a lawsuit against the club in the San Diego Superior Court, following allegations first raised in July by Brittany Alvarado, a former video and creative manager for the club. She accused San Diego and its president, Jill Ellis, of creating a hostile work environment. Ellis was not named as a defendant in the employees’ lawsuit.

During a limited media availability ahead of the Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham’s semifinal match, Berman said that the club is under relatively new ownership and that she had “a high degree of confidence that the club is going to be healthy and strong.” Berman described Ellis as “an icon in our industry” whose career “speaks for itself” when asked about Ellis’ role in the litigation.

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Jill Ellis is not named as a defendant in the former employees’ lawsuit but was alleged to have created a hostile work environment by Brittany Alvarado. (Ira L. Black / Getty Images)

The commissioner was pressed again about the matter Friday.

“Across our ecosystem, our policies and our procedures are available to everyone, players, technical staff and employees, and through our processes, we investigate and take action on any complaints that are brought to our attention,” Berman said. “We remain committed to ensuring that those policies are enforced and education exists for everyone to make sure that they know that we are here to support them in all ways that they need.”

When asked if she stood by the prior investigation, and whether that cleared the team of any wrongdoing, Berman responded, “The investigations that we’ve done in the past, universally, to the extent there was any misconduct identified, it was actioned.”

Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry has been in negotiations to acquire the North Carolina Courage. Per Sportico’s September report, Lasry has been seeking a 60 percent stake in the team. Lasry has also recently brought on board former USWNT and NWSL player Lauren Holiday as an advisor for the sports arm of his investment group, Avenue Sports Group.

Lasry is involved in a lawsuit against a former employee, alleging she attempted to blackmail him over harassment claims. That employee has filed her own suit against Lasry, alleging that he sexually harassed her and retaliated professionally against her.

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When asked if there had been any movement in Lasry’s bid to acquire the Courage or what discussions the league is having about the allegations against Lasry, Berman said, “Any new ownership that comes into the league is vetted through our robust process and due diligence, and that would be no different for that circumstance. We don’t have any news to report about that transaction.”

Global growth of club women’s soccer

This season was filled with more competitive international games than ever before, thanks to the formation of tournaments like the Summer Cup between the NWSL and Liga MX Femenil, as well as the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, which is regional clubs’ sole pathway to the Club World Cup in 2026.

“We’re really excited for the beginnings of what we have done together, and we think the future is bright for us to be able to continue working together,” Berman said about the NWSL’s partnership with Liga MX. “We are the foundational drivers of the professional game in this region, and we collectively take that responsibility very seriously. We continue to work closely with them on the ways in which we can continue to build on the momentum that we began this year, which was a first of its kind in the women’s game.”


Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga carries the Summer Cup trophy after winning the final. (Aaron Meullion / Imagn Images)

Berman alluded to even more collaborations with another North American neighbor, saying the NWSL has had “regular conversations” with the Northern Super League, which is set to begin competition in the spring of 2025 in Canada.

“I’ll give a shoutout to (NSL co-founder) Diana Matheson, who’s a former NWSL player, who we support and are excited to see be successful,” Berman said. “It’s not easy to launch a league, so we will be here to make sure that we do everything we can to create the environment that she can create a league that will allow for our entire region to continue to rise as we think about the international game.

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“We have been spending a lot of time with international leagues and really beginning to unpack and understand the ways in which we can collaborate, share best practices and work together and find interesting and innovative ways to engage with each other and grow the global fan base,” Berman said. “We think the introduction of the women’s Club World Cup is going to be a moment that is going to really lift the game internationally, and I think a lot of us are thinking about the ways in which we can lean into that space in the years to come.”

(Top photo: Kylie Graham / Imagn Images)



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Broncos moved to prime-time in NFL's first-ever 'Thursday Night Football' flex

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Broncos moved to prime-time in NFL's first-ever 'Thursday Night Football' flex


For the first time in NFL history, a Sunday afternoon game has been flexed to Thursday Night Football.

The Denver Broncos‘ road game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 has been flexed from Sunday, Dec. 22 to Thursday, Dec. 19, the NFL announced Friday. The original TNF matchup was set to see the Cincinnati Bengals host the Cleveland Browns. That game was moved to an afternoon slot on Dec. 22.

The Broncos previously played on TNF in Week 7 when they went on the road and defeated the New Orleans Saints 33-10. Denver is also scheduled to play on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13.

NFL rules prevent a team from being given two TNF away games when the initial schedule is released in the spring, but in-season flexes are allowed. So after playing in New Orleans on a short week earlier this season, the Broncos will play in Los Angeles on a short week later this year.

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It is perhaps less-than-ideal for Denver from a competitive perspective, but it’s a sign that the league views the Broncos as an entertaining team worthy of a national spotlight. That’s quite a change from recent seasons.

Thursday Night Football is available to stream on Prime Video.



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Former case manager details safety, other concerns with Denver homeless shelter as city auditor releases new report

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Former case manager details safety, other concerns with Denver homeless shelter as city auditor releases new report


Fear has reached its tipping point for a former case manager at one of Denver’s homeless shelters.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” she said. “And I’ve worked in low-income facilities.”

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The former case manager shared her experience anonymously with CBS Colorado days after issuing her resignation letter on Nov. 11. She was working for nearly a year at the Tamarac Family Shelter (formerly an Embassy Suites) at 7525 E Hampden Avenue, which is a city shelter run by the Salvation Army.

Her letter of resignation details a lot of the issues and concerns she experienced throughout her time working there.

“When we first got there, the housekeeping was there, and we had housekeeping because of the contract with Embassy Suites wasn’t over,” she said.

However, she says management eventually let housekeeping go, and the facility started to get worse.

“The condition of the building, its falling apart. We have leaks in the ceiling. We have bed bugs in the room. We have roaches,” she said. “The bathrooms are disgusting.”

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The former employee shared a collection of photos she says were taken at the shelter. Photos showed dead rats outside the property, trash throughout the shelter and damaged ceilings.

“Just because they came from being homeless, doesn’t mean they need to be treated that way,” she said.

What was even more concerning to her and the clients she worked with was how much they feared for their safety within the facility.

“We’ve been experiencing a lot of domestic violence and there’s a lot of people that threaten us and say, ‘Well, we’re going to do things to your car,’” she said. “We had an individual that her husband kept her in a room and was beating her up and she had from head-to-toe bruises.”

She says despite having some security guards outside the facility, abuses or unauthorized people would still slip through the cracks.

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“When the clients will say, I would rather be in the streets than be in here because it’s safer out there than it is in here,” the employee said.  

This case manager says she has also spoken up about getting more security added to the facility, including a security door. However, she says the facility’s management team did not address these concerns.

“It’s not in the funding; we can’t do it. We don’t have enough money to do security doors,” she said.

Last week, when CBS Colorado first asked the Salvation Army about these concerns, it issued this statement, “One of the things that’s good about having a working relationship with the City of Denver is that they have high expectations for the safety and cleanliness of our programs. The Salvation Army could not operate the Tamarac location if these allegations were true. The safety of our guests is our highest concern. That’s why we’re here – housing families with children, providing three meals a day and connecting our guests with the services that will strengthen their abilities to thrive on their own. Furthermore, HOST or City of Denver employees are on site most days of the workweek every week. The bottom line is the city would shut us down if we didn’t hold to their high standards of safety.”  

This week, however, a spokesperson for the Salvation Army says it’s enlisted independent legal counsel to investigate these concerns. “While the investigation is underway, we will be unable to comment.”

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A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Housing Stability released a statement saying the former employee’s claims are largely untrue,” “Department of Housing Stability staff are regularly on-site at the Tamarac Family Shelter, working alongside staff members from The Salvation Army to ensure a safe, welcoming and stabilizing environment for families in crisis.”

These allegations come just as the city auditor released its findings of Denver’s homeless shelter program. The report reveals homeless funding is not being tracked, and safety concerns are not being addressed among other issues. The safety concerns are particularly connected to another shelter run by the Salvation Army on Quebec Street, the Aspen Shelter (formerly a Doubletree Hotel).

“The [homeless] should have a safe haven like they say it is. They should be able to stay there and not worry about their abuses coming in,” the former case manager said.

The report finds that Housing Stability has “ineffective systems for monitoring shelter provider performance,” and that in the case of the former Doubletree location, the city provided a security budget of $807,000 but had not hired a contractor to manage security at the property for several months. It is also the location where two people were shot and killed in March 2024, and a third person was shot and injured weeks later.

The audit also found concerns with Housing Stability’s managing of finances for shelter properties and personal information, “Housing Stability failed to hold providers accountable for their use of city funds. The department received 55% of reviewed invoices past deadline. We found sensitive confidential data was left unprotected in a shared drive that staff in other city agencies could access. Housing Stability stored documents such as birth certificate orders containing contact information and family information of shelter guests. Not protecting confidential information by restricting drive access creates a data security risk.”

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“Housing Stability’s poor organization is negatively affecting operations at Denver’s shelters,” said Timothy M. O’Brien, Denver’s auditor. “These issues need to be addressed because vulnerable populations are at risk.”

A spokesperson for the city says the auditor’s report is not an accurate representation of the current state of the city’s shelter system, “Denver’s All in Mile High program has transformed the city’s homelessness resolution system, resulting in the largest decrease in street homelessness on record and positive outcomes both for those experiencing homelessness and the city as a whole. The Auditor’s report on Denver’s shelter system references data and information from more than eight months ago, and is not an accurate representation of the current state of our shelter system. We continue to constantly improve our programs, which is why although we acknowledge the auditor’s findings, it’s important to note that HOST and the City have long been working to improve the system throughout 2024.”

As for the former case manager, she hopes any new information and investigation into concerns at the shelter she worked at and others can help make these facilities better for anyone who works or lives inside them.

“More security for our residents,” she said. “That its clean, and that it’s not falling apart.”

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