When the pandemic first hit, the city mobilized emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness at high risk from COVID-19. But when the COVID-19 emergency ended in May, federal money funding the shelters dried up.
In April, the city closed Aloft, an emergency shelter housing 124 people the week it closed (they all found other places to live). The Rodeway Motel, an emergency shelter housing women, transgender and non-binary people, will close in August, as the city hopes to turn it into permanent housing.
But the one remaining emergency shelter, the Park Avenue Inn, will avoid that fate.
The Inn will remain open after City Council on Monday approved a nearly $3 million contract with The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless to continue operating the site. It currently serves about 300 households.
"I want to commend HOST [the Department of Housing Stability] for moving this important property from COVID funds to this new contract where it can remain open for at least another two years," said Councilmember Sarah Parady before the vote.
HOST spokesperson Christopher Lowell said that the move expands eligibility for the shelter, since it is moving away from COVID emergency funds.
"While folks with medical needs will be given still preference, there will be now more room for folks of all different backgrounds, and so it really opens it up by transitioning that funding source," he said.
The contract runs through August of 2025. After that, Lowell said Colorado Coalition for the Homeless hopes to turn the site into long-term housing. That gives the current Inn residents two years for the transition, compared to a matter of months with the Aloft and Rodeway shelters.
Denverite has reached out to Colorado Coalition for the Homeless for comment. We'll update if we hear back.
