In Grand Junction, scrutiny intensifies on Resource Center to address rising crime, other issues
By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Once celebrated as one of the top 10 main streets in the U.S., Grand Junction’s downtown now faces turmoil. Business owners, frustrated with the nearby Resource Center, are cleaning up feces and needles and dealing with fires and property damage. Many are calling for the center to be relocated.
The Resource Center opened on Dec. 11, 2023, providing food, shelter, hygiene and navigation services for the homeless. By October 2024, however, downtown business owners reported rising concerns about harassment, danger, property damage and filth.
At the Nov. 20 meeting of City Council, business owners shared their frustrations.
“We've put in a new, almost $20,000 camera system since this Resource Center came in," business own...