No homeless shelter currently in the works in Calhan

Ashley Eberhardt
·2 min read

(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — El Paso County Commissioner for District 2, Carrie Geitner, has issued a statement on a property potentially being used for a homeless shelter near Calhan that worried locals earlier in February, which states there is no commercially zoned property that would accommodate such a shelter.

The Calhan Police Department initially posted about a planned community, which the department said would be located at a property off of Funk and Oil Well Roads. The property was rumored to have been purchased by the nonprofit, In Tents of Hope, with the intent of using the land to provide shelter to people experiencing homelessness.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Nonprofit responds to Calhan police concerns over homeless shelter

However, the Founder of In Tents of Hope, Kelly Morrow, confirmed to FOX21 that the location mentioned by police was not accurate, and she was unsure where police got the information. Morrow said the nonprofit was in the beginning phases of starting the tent community and was in the process of reaching out to city and county officials.

In a statement issued on Feb. 22, Commissioner Geitner said El Paso County was “unaware of any commercially zoned property suitable for the proposed ‘InTents of Hope’ homeless project in eastern El Paso County near Calhan, Colorado.”

“We have received numerous communications from residents concerned about what they have heard about this project,” said Commissioner Geitner. “Because land use items are quasi-judicial, meaning we are required by law to review any application impartially, El Paso County Commissioners cannot provide further comment on how we might vote on any planning or community development project.”

Geitner went on to stress that any potential shelter would be subject to rezoning applications, but Geitner said none have been received for this project. “Illegal projects will be subject to enforcement,” Geitner said.

Morrow assured FOX21 News that the group never intended to place the community in Calhan without holding public meetings so that everyone could have a voice.

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