Well, isn’t this special? The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) waltzed into the city council work session last week, eyes gleaming, having sniffed out that sweet recreational marijuana sales tax revenue. Their grand proposal? A 19-month-long “Clean and Safe Pilot Program” for downtown Colorado Springs, due to start later this month. Apparently, they’ve got the magic bullet to fix the homeless situation, despite their track record showing disturbances up over 300% since 2019. Credibility? Never heard of her.
Here’s the rub: homelessness is supposedly decreasing according to recent point-in-time counts, yet “negative encounters” with the homeless downtown are soaring. If their brilliant solutions, thus far, actually worked, we wouldn’t be seeing violent attacks, police calls, sit/lie ordinance violations, and vandalism on the rise. They preach a “human-centered” approach, but it seems to be more like a “human-ATM” approach for taxpayers. They’ve had security cameras, security teams, and homeless services downtown for many years. Their “solutions” have yet to produce results.
Let’s talk money, shall we? This pilot program comes with a cool $2,000,000 price tag over 19 months. A million from “public sources” (that’s you, folks, in case you missed it) and another million from “private sources.” They’ve already snagged $600,000 from VisitCOS, the DDA, and the Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority, and they’re eyeing a $1.5 million chunk of Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax (LART) dollars and $250,000 from the Colorado Springs Health Foundation (CSHF).
We asked council members how year-round downtown security can qualify for LART dollars, as it’s not an event. We heard responses from Councilwomen Gold and Henjum. We were referred to the original LART ordinance, which doesn’t restrict LART to events. From the ordinance, “The purpose of this tax shall be to attract visitors and to enhance the economy of the City and the Pikes Peak Region.” It makes us wonder…what other areas will qualify for LART dollars to provide year-round security? What’s next? Will every area with a tourist attraction demand its own taxpayer-funded private police force?
The program elements are a real head-scratcher. Taxpayers currently fund 1 team of 2 security staff for $175,000 a year to patrol roughly half of the downtown area. The Clean and Safe Pilot Program will expand security to two teams to patrol the entire downtown (adding Weidner Field and the Olympic Museum), add “ambassadors” for wayfinding (because apparently, people get lost easily in downtown), and bring in homeless non-profits for “outreach services.” They’re even contracting Homeward Pikes Peak for outreach, despite the glaring reality that the vagrants causing disruptions have likely been offered help before and, gasp, turned it down. As we like to say, what’s the definition of insanity?
At this point, the DDA reports they have enough funding for the program through the spring of 2026. The pilot program has not yet received a firm funding commitment (beyond the current $175,000 per year) from the City of Colorado Springs.
And the best part? Former interim DDA CEO Hannah Parsons, who drafted this masterpiece, let it slip in her public comments to the city council that funding this little venture with pot tax money wasn’t even their idea. She said it was “other entities” who suggested it. Who is behind the curtain calling the shots? She also made a stunningly clear argument against this very program by predicting that if businesses had to pay for their own security, “those that can pay will pay for the security that will move the problem from the front of their business. Those that can’t pay are going to give up or go out of business.” This isn’t about public safety; it’s about pushing the problem out of sight for tourists and downtown businesses, dumping it squarely on the shoulders of less affluent neighborhoods like the Westside.
19-month Pilot Program Anticipated Spending
Clean and Safe Program $1,000,000
Outreach $500,000
Communications $60,000
Events $40,000
Personnel $280,000
Legal, Insurance $40,000
Administration $80,000
TOTAL $2,000,000
Council Member Comments
Councilwoman Henjum– She stressed that outreach is critical. Also, she’s concerned that the homeless have no public toilets to use downtown.
Councilman Donelson– He fears new downtown restrooms would only be trashed and vandalized, as has already been the case with other public restrooms. He said we aren’t using the tools we have at our disposal. He wants laws like littering and disturbing the peace to be enforced. We didn’t used to accept petty offenses. Citizens will back an administration that enforces the laws. Also, he fears the homeless will be pushed to other neighborhoods.
Councilman Leinweber– He reported that 28% of our current jail population are homeless people. He said the jail is already being used. He mentioned that downtown restrooms have been locked due to methamphetamine contamination.
Our Take
This city needs to stop treating its public safety crisis like a localized, downtown-only issue. The whole city is unsafe now, not just the “narcissistic downtown” that thinks it’s special. For the mentally ill or drug addicted homeless vagrants who refuse help and actively cause harm, it’s time for tough love: police enforcement. If they don’t like it, they can pack their grocery carts and meth pipes and head to Denver.
Don’t let them pick your pockets for another failed experiment. Reach out to Mayor Mobolade and your city council members. Tell them what you think about the DDA’s “Clean and Safe” scheme, asking for your tax dollars for special downtown security.
Mayor Yemi Mobolade yemi.mobolade@coloradosprings.gov
Tom Bailey Tom.Bailey@coloradosprings.gov
Lynette Crow-Iverson Lynette.Crow-Iverson@coloradosprings.gov
Dave Donelson Dave.Donelson@coloradosprings.gov
Kimberly Gold Kimberly.Gold@coloradosprings.gov
Nancy Henjum Nancy.Henjum@coloradosprings.gov
David Leinweber David.Leinweber@coloradosprings.gov
Roland Rainey Roland.RaineyJr@coloradosprings.gov
Brian Risley brian.risley@coloradosprings.gov
Brandy Williams Brandy.Williams@coloradosprings.gov