DENVER — Notices first appeared on doors at a Denver-area Quality Inn in mid-August, where more than 150 people using the hotel as an emergency shelter during the pandemic learned that they had a month to move out.
With federal funding expected to end soon, Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) vowed to help residents find other options.
Then, a second notice appeared on doors, detailing a move-out process that will start sooner than expected for residents like Scott Keeney.
"Instead of making us move Sept. 16, people have to start moving on Sept. 6, Sept. 7, Sept. 8, Sept. 9, Sept. 10," explained Keeney. "They’re not even giving the people to Sept. 16."
Keeney said he moved into the Quality Inn at 2601 Zuni Street about two months ago. The city calls the site a protective action hotel, and there are two others like it in the city.
“Without it, I would probably be in a homeless shelter," Keeney said. “It’s been amazing for us up until this point."
On Friday morning, Keeney and other residents at Quality Inn learned about next steps during a meeting with representatives from the Dept. of Housing Stability, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) and other advocates for people experiencing homelessness.
CCH leases the Quality Inn for use as a protective action hotel and is facilitating transfers to housing and shelter spaces, according to the Dept. of Housing Stability.
Spokesperson Derek Woodbury said notices were posted to give people living at the hotel information about transportation options.
"It has typically been their practice during prior facility closures to take this phased approach over several weeks, to help lessen the impact to the shelter guests at the closing hotel, as well as at the receiving facility," Woodbury said.
Keeney, a veteran who struggles with PTSD and various health issues, said he lost his Brighton home in a fire the day before Thanksgiving in 2019. He moved into Quality Inn after spending months in a separate protective action hotel.
When he attended the meeting Friday morning, Keeney expected he'd end up moving to a shelter. He returned to his hotel room to find a different kind of notice on his front door.
"I’m going to be moving into my own place, I just found out," Keeney said.
Keeney said he'd received a housing voucher 13 months ago and learned Friday he could move into his own apartment.
“That’s like an automatic, guaranteed sleep for me tonight," Keeney said.
Keeney plans to move into his new place on Sept. 15, the day before every resident at Quality Inn must leave for good.
“I’m happy and I’m guilty, you know," Keeney said. "I’m happy and I feel guilty both.”
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