U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette joined Mayor Michael Hancock on Thursday to announce plans to use federal money to buy the Stay Inn Hotel in northeast Denver and use its 95 rooms to house people experiencing homelessness.
DeGette, who represents the city, has requested $2 million as part of a federal funding request congress members make to pay for local projects, according to a release from DeGette's office. The money is one of 10 funding requests her office made to Congress last week for her district, which includes some Denver suburbs.
"Every single person in this community deserves to have a roof over their head when they go to sleep at night," DeGette said in a release. "Projects like this will provide our residents a safety net, giving those who need it a safe place to sleep and helping them get back on their feet as soon as possible."
The hotel at 12033 E. 38th Ave. is in the city's Central Park neighborhood. If the federal money is approved, it would help pay for the hotel, which property records show has an assessed value of $3.2 million.
The hotel would be used as a shelter for at least 24 months before being converted into supportive housing for more than 150 people a year, according to DeGette's release.
