A truly compassionate nonprofit in Denver, Colorado, has purchased an old hotel and transformed it into a 139-unit apartment building to help house the city’s homeless.
The nonprofit, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), is helping those who regularly seek a warm place to stay in the overcrowded shelters have a permanent place to call home.
The United States has roughly 600,000 homeless people and more than 18,600,000 vacant homes and buildings. With more than 5,700 people sleeping rough in Denver alone, this is a beautiful and humane step in the right direction for humanity.
Head of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, John Parvensky, has been working tirelessly to do everything he can to help the many lovable homeless in Colorado have a warm place to stay, as Colorado winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing. When he saw that an old hotel in a good location, the Quality Inn and Suites, was put up for sale, he realized this was a perfect opportunity to help hundreds of lovable people rebuild their lives.
“The project was really born out of desperation. We were scratching our heads trying to figure out how we can shorten the time period so that the people who are on the streets tonight have a place to call their home as quickly as possible,” John explained.
The nonprofit provides help for homeless families and individuals as well as those who are at risk of becoming homeless. They provide more than 2,500 safe and affordable homes, more than 110,000 free health care visits annually, and last year alone they helped support 778 homeless U.S. Veterans.
“We believe all people have the right to adequate housing and healthcare,” CCH explains on their website.
With the help of private, state and city funds, John quickly secured the 139-room hotel for $8.4 million. After some quick renovations, they opened the residence and named it “Fusion Studios.”
Studio rooms are available for people coming from shelters around the city and also for those coming directly off the streets. John believes that most people can manage around $100 a month for rent which comes from their benefits, so tenants are given a special discount voucher from the state to ensure that their rent is never higher than 30% of their income.
Each of the rooms comes equipped with a private bathroom, kitchenette, a dresser, bed, microwave, chair, mini-fridge and even a food pantry. There is 24-hour security and on-site property managers available, each who are responsible for taking care of the individuals and providing necessary support, health services and plans to help rebuild their lives. The floor plans have also been designed to meet individual needs: 28 rooms are reserved for those awaiting public trials for minor offenses, and 10 rooms are prepared for those who frequently need health support from local hospitals.
Head of Denver’s housing department, Britta Fischer, has praised the initiative and hopes to join in by purchasing other buildings around Denver to help house the city’s homeless.
“We all know that we need more housing units, [and] that we need them quickly. I truly hope we can replicate this model and partnerships at other sites in Denver,” Britta said.
With so many lovable homeless people in difficult circumstances across the country, it’s truly satisfying to know that there are nonprofits working hard to make sure they are taken care of and have somewhere safe to sleep. The new tenants of Fusion Studios have been given a warm and safe place to stay during Colorado’s cold winters, and the smiles on their faces show just how grateful they are.
If inspired, you can help support this beautiful cause by donating to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless on their website here.
You are Loved.
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See Also: City Lovingly Builds Tiny Village For Homeless Veterans: 50 Tiny Houses Where They Can Live For Free
