Note residents received under their door from the Denver Rescue Mission on Thursday March 23, 2023.Photo: HouseKeys Action Network Denver
Since May 2020, the Aloft Hotel in downtown Denver is being used as a shelter for people experiencing homelessness who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.
It's closing on April 15 and is being renovated for regular operation this summer. Residents of Aloft were told about the closure in January.
The hotel, one of many protective action shelters around Denver, was used as a response to the pandemic.
"The protective action shelters were never intended to provide permanent housing and were always planned to close as pandemic response winds down," said Sabrina Allie, Department of Housing Stability's communications and engagement director.
There are 99 residents living in the hotel and most do not have housing secured, like brothers Joey and Chris, who moved to Aloft from the Quality Inn. They've been living at the hotel since September.
Like many, they don't know what is going to happen to them when the hotel closes; going to a shelter is not at the top of their list and they fear living on the streets.
"I can't handle the streets, I wouldn't be able to you know, I've done it before but I- now I don't know it's very hard," Joey said.
On Thursday March 23, residents received a note from the Denver Rescue Mission about a meeting for Tuesday March 28th.
In the meeting, residents were offered to sign up for a reserved bed at the shelter. Residents told Terese Howard, an organizer with Housekeys Action Network Denver (HAND), there wasn't enough time for the shelter to speak with everyone, so those who showed up did not have the chance to sign up for a spot. Instead, they have to follow up with the rescue mission if they want a bed. Howard said going to the shelter is a worst case scenario for some.
"They might not even go even if they have it reserved because it’s not a safe option for them," she said.
Howard said residents fear moving to a shelter because their health conditions will only worsen, but have no choice but to go because they do not want to live on the streets.
"Some residents have shared, with their health conditions, a mass congregate shelter would likely be a slow death sentence," said HAND in an email.
Joey and Chris were in the meeting and opposed to signing up for a bed at the shelter.
“I wouldn’t go to that place, I'd rather live on the streets," Chris said.
Their only hope is finding another housing option through their case manager, but they're unsure of what will happen to them.
“The city has not taken responsibility for safe housing options for these hundreds of vulnerable people," Howard said.
Joey and Chris said they have health conditions that make it difficult for them to live in a shelter. Joey has high blood pressure, sleep apnea, weight issues, cellulitis, and lymphedema in his legs that requires him to keep them elevated. He also uses a walker to ease the strain and pressure on his legs.
Chris on the other hand, has ulcers and other stomach issues which affects what he eats. The brothers said they don't have a healthcare provider going to the hotel like they were used to before.
“When we were at Quality [Inn] they had someone medically over there two or three times a week…but here, you have to go to the clinic.” Joey said. My doctor is at the Stout Street clinic.”
With the closure around the corner, most residents don't have a housing or hotel option, some have vouchers coming through, but not all. The choice is either going to a shelter or go back to living on the streets.
"Guests have been encouraged throughout their stays to engage with case managers to work towards housing outcomes before these temporary shelters are closed," Allie said.
Howard said case managers are assisting people to find alternative housing, but haven't been successful with the remaining residents. She said they're either not meeting with residents or don't have anything lined up. Howard said the lack of help is not always the case managers fault because they themselves are not provided with the correct resources to help residents, but said in some cases it is.
"There’s a mix of some bad case managers that are literally doing hateful, horrible, racist things and like losing people’s housing opportunities," Howard said.
She said overall the fault is at the city.
When Joey and Chris first moved to Aloft in September they said their case manager at the time was unhelpful. When they tried to reach out for help they were left with no answers. The brothers now have a new case manager who's assisting them to find housing and secure them a voucher, which Joey said he is unsure if it's for another hotel or for an apartment.
Through the combined protective action shelters around Denver, over 578 people have moved into housing. As of Dec. 20, 2022, 92 people who have lived at Aloft have moved into permanent housing.
All Joey and Chris want is to move forward.
In 2017, Joey became homeless when he violated his lease by having Chris and friends, who didn't have a place to live, move in with him, so the apartment complex did not renew his lease. The brothers were left to find a home they could afford, but Joey moved to the Samaritan House while Chris lived in Joey's car and in a tent with friends he made. The brothers fear the thought of going back to living on the streets.
"I can't handle living on the streets...no one can," Joey said.
When asked about what they would like the city to do, Chris said he wants the city to make people feel better about themselves.
“Not always putting them down and moving them from here to there, and from there to here, back over here and back and forth, like yo-yos," he said.
Joey said the city should make sure someone is on their feet before, "essentially kicking them out to the streets."
Their experience at Aloft has them feeling isolated in their rooms.
“They're [staff] treating us like we’re kids, like we are illiterate,” Chris said. I can understand the no drug rules and the no alcohol rules, but we can’t visit [other residents], go play cards or dominos...there isn’t anything else for us to do; they either want us to be checked up in this room all day doing nothing or outside in the cold.”
Chris said not having the ability to talk to others or meet up for a glass of water or soda does not make him feel good about himself.
"This way [being in the room] you feel even worse than the situation you’re already in," he said.
The hotel doesn't allow visitors or residents to meet with one another unless it's outside of the hotel.
When asked what they would tell people about the situation they're in, Chris simply said, "It's just hard you know."
As the closure gets closer, the shelter staff is providing medical, behavioral, and healthcare support.
"All guests are being screened for housing eligibility, and we expect to be able to report more details on housing outcomes in the days to come," Allie said. We recognize that this transition is a difficult one, and we and The Salvation Army are working diligently in the final days of this facility’s operation to find the best possible outcomes for all of our guests."
This story is part of a recurring series from our Report for America Reporter Emily Capetillo about housing in Denver. Follow her on Twitter @emilycapetillo or send an email at emilycapetillo@iheartmedia.com. For more information on how to donate to Report for America, contact the KOA Newsroom at 303-713-8500.