The Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the Denver City Council approved Wednesday adding $11.6 million to a contract with Quebec Hospitality LLC to house people experiencing homelessness in a Comfort Inn through 2025. That comes to $120 per room per night, up $10 per room per night since the last lease, according to Denver Director of Real Estate Lisa Lumley.
The Comfort Inn at 4685 Quebec St. has 138 rooms, according to a presentation by Denver homelessness czar Cole Chandler. While he could not provide the council with an occupancy rate for that building, he said most All in Mile High sites are operating at 90% capacity. He said service providers are expected to turn a vacant room in seven days.
In 2025, Chandler said the city intends to transition 85 people per month from All in Mile High sites to permanent housing, for a total of 1,000 people. In addition to the Comfort Inn, the city is leasing the Radisson at 4849 Bannock St. and the Best Western at 4595 Quebec, now known as New Directions, to house people experiencing homelessness. The city has purchased the 300-room DoubleTree hotel at 4040 Quebec, now called The Aspen, and filled that with people experiencing homelessness. The city also purchased the Tamarac Family Shelter at 7525 E. Hampden for people experiencing homelessness. The city also operates four tiny home villages for the homeless.