Crime calls up 2,900% at hotel converted to homeless shelter in Denver

In the first three months after the City of Denver converted a hotel in Denver's Central Park neighborhood to a shelter for the homeless, calls for police and first responders rose 2,900% compared to the previous three months when it served as a hotel, according to city data obtained by CBS News Colorado.

Cole Chandler, Denver Mayor Michael Johnston's senior adviser on homelessness, said, "We've been responsive to what has occurred here and we are committed to ensuring and continue to take steps to ensure the safety of this site and the surrounding community."

The former DoubleTree hotel at 4040 Quebec Street was converted to a shelter for the homeless in December 2023.

In the previous three months, September, October and November, there were a total of 13 calls for police service according to city data. In November 2023, there was only one call which was for an auto theft.

But after the conversion in December, there were 36 calls for police that month including assault calls, one call on a sexual assault, and four trespassing calls.

The calls spiked further in January with 244 calls for police help with 22 disturbances, 10 assault calls, five overdose calls and one death. In December, January, and February, there were 391 calls for police help- an increase of 2,907 % from the previous three months.

"It's turning into a norm, unfortunately," said Mike Morales, branch manager for a nearby traffic sign business. He said since the transitional shelter opened, the industrial neighborhood feels less safe. He said every morning he sees hotel residents appearing to ingest drugs, and walking the streets like "zombies."

He said the shift in the area prompted a female employee of his to be "worried about her safety. She would lock the doors first thing and the morning" and carry mace.

Responding to the increased crime calls, the mayor's office said, "Certainly officers responded to numerous calls for service at large encampments and it is reasonable to expect that similar calls for service will be reported with the same population indoors..."

Still, Morales views it as a drain on city resources, "There's a lot of other areas police and first responders could be focusing on versus this hotel."

On March 15, a man and woman were shot to death at the hotel. The Denver medical examiner identified them as Sandra Cervantes, 43, and Dustin Nunn, 38. Denver police have not announced any arrests in the case.

Since those murders, Chandler says several steps have been taken to further secure the building. He says there is now 24-hour surveillance by the Denver Police Department, door alarms have been installed, and there are more security cameras and a single point of entry to the building.

"People were able to come and go without us always knowing who was coming inside," said Chandler, who says he is now on-site full-time.

"We are here focused on bringing safety to this site, to the residents and the surrounding community," said Chandler. 

He said residents are also being educated on relying less on calling 911 for various issues.

Mike Morales says he now has to be on guard while at work. 

"You have to be more mindful of your surroundings," said Morales, "100%."