호텔을 노숙자 주택으로 변신시킨 덴버 비영리단체 Denver Non-Profit Transforms Hotel Into Affordable Housing for the Homeless
Denver Non-Profit Transforms Hotel Into Affordable Housing for the Homeless
By Jessica Stewart on February 7, 2020
In Denver, one non-profit is showing how innovative thinking can be used to close the affordable housing gap and tackle issues of homelessness. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will begin leasing apartments at Fusion Studios this month. The 139 micro-apartment complex is a former Quality Inn & Suites that was transformed in record time after being purchased by the group for $8.4 million.
Exterior of Fusion Studios - Affordable Housing for the Homeless in Denver, Colorado
호텔을 노숙자 주택으로 변신시킨 덴버 비영리단체 덴버 한 비영리 단체는 저렴한 주택 격차를 해소하고 노숙자 문제를 해결하기 위해 어떻게 혁신적인 아이디어를 사용할 수 있는지를 보여주고 있다. 콜로라도 노숙자 연합은 이번 달에 퓨전 스튜디오에서 아파트 임대를 시작할 것이다. 139 마이크로아파트 단지는 그룹으로부터 840만 달러에 매입된 뒤 대대적으로 바뀐 안락한 주거형태를 갖추고 있다. 1985년부터 비영리를 운영해 온 존 파르벤스키가 개장한 17번째 건물로 이 건물들은 피난처나 바로 거리에서 오는 노숙자들에게 즉각적인 구제책을 제공할 것이다. 그리고 전국적으로 노숙자가 빠르게 증가하고 있는 가운데, 이러한 종류의 해결책은 사람들이 거리에서 돌아다는 것을 방지하는데 필수적이다. 덴버에서 특히 그러하다. 덴버에서는 여전히 캠핑 금지법이 시행되고 있지 않다. 이 법은 덴버 카운티 법관에 의해 위헌 판결을 받았음에도 불구하고, 이 금지법은 항소 중에 여전히 유효하다. 황기철 콘페이퍼 에디터 큐레이터 Ki Chul Hwang, conpaper editor, curator |
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This is the 17th building of its kind opened by John Parvensky, who has run the non-profit since 1985. These apartments will provide immediate relief for homeless citizens who are coming from shelters or directly off the streets. And with homelessness growing rapidly across the country, these types of solutions are vital in keeping people off the streets. This is particularly true in Denver, where the city’s no camping ban is still being enforced. Though the law was declared unconstitutional by a Denver County judge, the ban remains in effect while under appeal.
“The project was really born out of desperation,” said Parvensky. “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.”
In this context, it’s clear to see how purchasing and transforming an existing building can be more effective than starting from scratch—both in terms of time and expense. According to Denverite, it can take up to $35 million and several years to build an affordable housing complex from the ground up. In the case of Fusion Studios, it took a matter of months to secure the funding from private, city, and state sources and to renovate the former hotel.
Interior of Fusion Studios - Affordable Housing for the Homeless in Denver, Colorado
“This really shows what we can do when we get creative about problem-solving and affordable housing,” said Gov. Jared Polis. He also called Fusion Studios an “example of cutting through the red tape … at a teeny fraction of the cost of building something new and a teeny fraction of the time.”
Apartments will be filled on a rolling basis, with residents gaining access to special vouchers that will allow them to pay a rent that is no more than 30% of their monthly income. While many people will be paying their rent based on disability earning or other state funding, Governor Polis noted that many are currently working—some more than one job. Unfortunately, state wages are often not able to keep up with the housing market, which is part of the issue forcing people into homelessness.
Each 300-square-foot apartment will have its own bathroom and kitchenette. Additionally, they will each be furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, chair, television, microwave, and mini refrigerator, as well as a food pantry. To help provide residents better access to medical and behavioral health services, case managers will be working on-site. There is also 24-hour security, as well as a full-time property manager working to ensure the apartments stay in good shape.
As Colorado Coalition for the Homeless begins working with partners like Denver Health and the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative to identify good rental candidates, Fusion Studios is becoming a beacon of hope for what is possible when it comes to affordable housing. “I truly hope we can replicate this model and these partnerships at other sites in Denver and get more of our people housed affordably,” said Britta Fisher, executive director of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST).
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