JUNE 17 - 24, 2026
VOLUME 33, ISSUE 24
THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS & COMMUNITY NEWS SINCE 1994
Is Mesa County a magnet for homelessness? Brandon Leuallen
A
The Business Times
s the Grand Junction City Council debated whether to amend city code to strengthen enforcement of the camping ordinance, questions about shelter capacity and the size of the local homeless population took on new importance. The shelter-capacity discussion is further complicated by the fact the shelter system serves more than just Mesa County residents. Many neighboring communities have either no shelter at all, only seasonal shelter options, or significantly fewer homeless services. The question of whether Mesa County is carrying a regional burden has also surfaced during Grand Junction City Council discussions. During a Nov. 19, 2025, meeting regarding additional funding for HomewardBound, Council member Anna Stout suggested the city consider structuring its contribution as a matching grant to encourage participation from neighboring communities. “To the extent that the city can be a leader in getting other jurisdictions to pony up, that might be a good use of our funding,” Stout said. That leaves several important questions that extend beyond the camping-ordinance debate: • How much of the demand for shelter beds and homeless services originates within Mesa County? See story Page 4
THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM
Bought the Barn
New owner purchased Barn Boutique on the night before the prior owner planned to close it — See Page 2 The Barn Boutique owner Jami Nelson stands next to a clothes rack in her store at 210 E. Aspen Ave. in Fruita. Buying the women’s clothing store at the end of March marked a career change for Nelson, a longtime real-estate agent, and her debut as a business owner. Photo by Tim Harty.
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