Last year, Denver City Council made a big change — approving a $30 million contract with a San Francisco nonprofit to replace the Salvation Army in running a hotel homeless shelter called the Aspen.
Six months in, Urban Alchemy is doing far better than Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration expects from its contractors.
The nonprofit has faced lawsuits and scandals elsewhere, including ongoing criticism from Denver advocates. Like other shelter operators, it has struggled to get its guests permanently housed, with more returning to homelessness than moving on to a stable home…