(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The El Paso County Board of Commissioners withheld grant funding from a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing youth homelessness, even though the organization had met all the necessary requirements.
The commissioners cited their disbelief in the existence of youth homelessness and pointed to “pro-abortion” comments made by an individual affiliated with the organization as contributing factors in their decision-making process.
“Minors cannot be homeless. They are either living with their parents or they get DHS [department of human services] involved… I cannot agree to fund this cause,” said County Commissioner, Carrie Geitner.
The main focus of the discussion during the July 11 meeting was on the approval of the 2023 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program is a federal initiative aimed at providing affordable housing, improving living conditions, and expanding economic opportunities for low-to-moderate-income residents in El Paso County.
Crystal LaTier, the Executive Director of Economic Development for the county, presented 17 organizations as potential grant recipients. Among them was The Place, a non-profit dedicated to serving homeless youth.
Unexpectedly, the commissioners’ discussion took a controversial turn when they singled out The Place for scrutiny. Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez brought up concerns about an individual associated with The Place who had made “pro-abortion comments” during a past fundraiser.
Commissioner Carrie Geitner chimed in, questioning the credibility of The Place, which has been operating in El Paso County for over 20 years
“We can’t guarantee that our kids who are entering into this program would be kept safe… I’m really interested in safeguards that we have on those programs to make sure that… we don’t have organizations encouraging teens to run away,” said Geitner.
Throughout over an hour-long deliberation, other commissioners expressed their fears. By funding the organization as is, County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf said they would be, “contributing to the destruction of the family.”
Others expressed concerns that The Place could possibly encourage teens to undergo medical treatments, namely abortions, without a parent’s consent. In support of not funding The Place, County Commissioner Holly Williams pitched in at the end saying, “I would prefer to see someone like the Life Network apply for this. I would not support the counseling for abortion in minors.”
The Place confirmed they do not provide abortion counseling services, but said they do stand with you who want to access legal healthcare.
For over two decades, the mission of The Place has been to create a path for the youth to exit homelessness, and they have succeeded in doing so for thousands of young people in El Paso County. Even former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers formally expressed gratitude on behalf of the city for their work.
“The board of county commissioners has the authority and decision-making power to determine where those funds go, and we understand that. Our hope is that we’ll be able to talk to some of the commissioners over the next year and help them learn more about our work,” said the CEO of The Place, Shawna Kemppainen.
In the meeting LaTier spoke about how this is an extremely competitive grant, each application endures a thorough review. So far, The Place has been a five-time recipient, in which the considerations brought up in this meeting, were never factors in past decision-making processes, according to a statement from the El Paso County Economic Development Department.
Regardless of The Place’s track record, and longstanding credibility with the community, the commissioners decided unanimously to approve grants for all recipients except The Place. This decision effectively overruled the recommendations made by the Department of Economic Development.
“I personally would not be able to sleep at night knowing that some child could be exploited through a process like this,” said Geitner.
According to the Colorado Division of Housing, the latest data shows over 21,000 youth aged 3-18 years old experiencing homelessness during the 2019-2020 school year.
In a statement to FOX21 from Commissioner Geitner, she said, in part, “I stand firmly by my comment. Minors cannot be homeless…We have a responsibility to get them home to their families, or in cases of abuse or neglect, the el paso county department of human services has a mandated responsibility to ensure they are not left without shelter.”
