El Paso County’s only licensed overnight shelter for homeless teens is closing indefinitely as of Sept. 5, The Place’s Interim CEO Mimi Brown said Friday.

Funding uncertainty and a lack of grants that help fund the shelter led to the decision, she said.

“A shelter is very expensive to run because of licensing and training requirements,” Brown said. “Part of the big challenge is our grants do not cover 100% of the shelter’s expenses. What we’re seeing with this uncertainty is the fact that we want to be able to ensure that our organization is able to survive and thrive for the long run.”

The 20-bed shelter near downtown Colorado Springs has 12 youth, ages 14 to 20, staying at it currently. All are receiving case management and assistance with placement, Brown said.

In addition, the orga

See Full Page