In 1980, Crossroads Safehouse opened its doors to provide a safe place for survivors fleeing domestic violence. A 100-year-old home owned by the City of Fort Collins was made available to the agency for $1 per year. Crossroads pays for all utilities and maintenance costs associated with the building, which is at a confidential location.

In 1987, the space was doubled, and in 1994 a wing was added, bringing the Safehouse to its current 7,500 square feet. Since that time, the area’s population and the need for Crossroads’ services have significantly grown; however, no further expansion has been made to the facility. The Safehouse contains 14 bedrooms and a total of 29 beds (plus cribs) for the women and children residents. The residents share four bathrooms, two small kitchens, a playroom, and one small counseling office.

The unfinished basement, which has narrow stairs, low ceilings, and exposed pipes and wiring, is home to the “Boutique.” Here, battered women, many of whom arrive at the Safehouse with nothing except the clothes on their backs, gather necessities. There are metal shelves set up with donated items like clothing, soap, school supplies, and diapers.

In the Safehouse, eight crowded office spaces are shared by 21 advocacy staff members including adult and youth advocates, a safehouse director, transitional housing staff, a night manager, part-time staff members, a therapist, a facilities manager, and volunteers.

The agency has grown to offer additional educational programs and services as well as legal and long-term housing assistance to survivors. Offices for administrators and attorneys are located in a separate 1,500 square-foot office space called the Outreach Center near downtown Fort Collins, which is leased by the organization on a monthly basis.

the crisis

In 2009, Crossroads was forced to turn away 138 crisis callers and their children (or 24% of those needing emergency shelter) because the Safehouse was already full. Even though the intake process only allows women and children who are in “imminent danger” to be admitted, more and more victims cannot be safehoused each quarter. Cots and air mattresses have been placed in halls and closets to provide more temporary beds; yet, we are still forced to turn away almost one in four crisis callers because we are full.

Besides being much too small, the current Safehouse has antiquated mechanical systems, poor insulation, and out-dated security. Consequently, it is unnecessarily expensive to operate and not secure enough for our residents. The facility hinders the agency’s ability to provide the services a community of this size must have for these victims. It is not uncommon for dishwashers, washers, dryers, plumbing, and the electrical system to break down due to the commercial usage of an old residential facility. Most importantly, the facility cannot be adequately secured. It relies on being in a “confidential” location; however, with the advent of the Internet, its location can be easily ascertained by perpetrators.