(The Center Square) – The city of Denver approved a $2.9 million contract for a nonprofit to operate a shelter where up to 300 homeless households will be put up in a motel.
The plan was approved Monday at the city council meeting according to the council agenda. The city, and county of Denver as well as The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, a nonprofit corporation, came to an agreement and approved a plan to buy a motel to house at least 300 households annually for $2.9 million until the agreement is ended Aug. 31, 2025.
The Park Ave Inn was previously used by the Colorado Coalition and the city for the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic as a place to recover and as the pandemic receded, some rooms were converted into non-congregate shelter for those with preexisting health conditions that made them vulnerable to the virus.
The motel was purchased using emergency response funds and there is no plan to remodel but instead over the next year or two, build supportive affordable housing on site in phases after acquiring more funding and some tax credits.
“Non-congregate shelter is a transitional place for people experiencing homelessness to stay while they wait on a long-term housing option to become available. It can assist in providing greater stability for folks because they have their own space, their own bathroom, and often times their own kitchenette,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications director for The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, in an email to The Center Square. “We have found that especially for people exiting encampments, it can be a successful bridge to housing because it helps the individual to get out of the chaos of street homelessness and get their affairs in better order in preparation to move into housing. We are also often able to provide a higher level of clinical and case management care to individuals in non-congregate shelter than they would be able to receive in a congregate shelter setting.”
Services offered at the motel will prepare residents to move into a long-term housing option and include:
Those with health concerns will receive clinical care to assist in recovery.Case management and housing navigation.Assistance with gaining access to benefits like Medicaid, and employment connections.
The city of Berkeley, California announced its plan to spend $12.5 million over the next five years to buy a 23-room Super 8 motel to house homeless as previously reported by The Center Square.
