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Denver, CO. Aloft Residents Facing the Streets & Shelters as the City Closes Last Protective Action Hotel

March 31, 2023 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

Elderly, Vulnerable Aloft Residents Facing the Streets & Shelters April 15th as the City Closes Last Protective Action Hotel 

The Aloft Hotel, ironically re-branded by banners saying BE KIND, has served as a Protective Action Hotel for Denver’s most vulnerable elderly houseless people for almost 3 years now, and on April 15th the City is planning to close the hotel and start kicking residents out to the shelters and streets. Over the last few years, as other Protective Action Hotels closed, their residents deemed most susceptible to deadly co-morbidities in the face of Covid-19 were often moved into Aloft. Thus, current residents of Aloft are Denver’s most elderly, sick, and vulnerable. 

Now, the City is closing down the hotel and forcing residents to go to mass congregate shelters – the very places many were originally sent from given their heightened health risks, leading to mass distress among residents.

On Thursday, March 23rd, Aloft residents received this notice slipped under their doors:

Many Aloft residents have shared in clear terms that they WILL NOT go to a shelter. Some residents have shared that, with their health conditions, a mass congregate shelter would likely be a slow death sentence.

This is not an exaggeration. One of the residents we spoke to had been hospitalized for 6 months following an infection he’d gotten while staying at Crossroads shelter, also run by Salvation Army. Another resident needs regular catheter changes. Many residents are in need of surgery, and require stable environments to recover – if they don’t have respite lined up, it’s likely that medical professionals would delay, or even refuse, to perform such surgeries because of the increased risk of infection and complications, as this is something that happens often to people in the shelters/streets. The simultaneous medical conditions that these residents already combat daily would be near impossible to treat in such packed, unstable, and unsanitary conditions as shelters.

Aloft currently houses 92 people.

Over the past couple weeks our HAND outreach team has been able to gather surveys from 30 residents (nearly one third, or 30% of all Aloft residents) about their plans and housing options after Aloft closes. Of these initial 30 residents, only 2 people have housing lined up, one of which is only able to because he’s paying market value for it. This is a very disturbing statistic!@#%

In January, HOST staff was quoted saying, “fortunately, we do have several months to work with our partners to ensure as many guests as possible are able to transition to a housing outcome.” Salvation Army staff was quoted saying, “our goal is that nobody exits into a shelter and everybody exits into something that is more appropriate than a shelter setting.”

Well, it’s almost April now, and residents are not lined up for housing – rather, the City and Salvation Army are telling them to go to shelters.

We need all hands on deck to ensure no Aloft residents are kicked to the shelters or streets where they may not survive!$*@!^

We need the City to step up and secure housing for every resident.
We need the Salvation Army to follow through on the goal for housing.

Everyone can play a part in making sure Denver is not throwing away the lives of nearly 100 elderly people.

If you would like to be connected to a current resident for an interview regarding this situation, please reach out to Housekeys Action Network Denver – 701-484-2634, info@housekeysactionnetwork.com

Housekeys Action Network Denver

Towards rights, dignity, housing…

email info@housekeysactionnetwork.com 

phone 701-484-2634

Filed Under: #housekeysnothandcuffs, Colorado, Housekeys Action Network Denver, Organizing

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Nationally, evictions from public housing have sur Nationally, evictions from public housing have surged since late 2021, when the federal government lifted an eviction moratorium put in place to protect renters during the pandemic, according to Peter Hepburn, associate director of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab.  https://conta.cc/3WJco9B
WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital i WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital importance of feeling connected to each other- sharing stories from our own communities, learning from past campaigns, and having artwork that we can share (and wear!) that affirms the life-saving message that we are in this together - we are not alone! 
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Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco T Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco Thursday May 11 at 12 noon steps of City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3LYOumD
Instagram post 17977559687207330 Instagram post 17977559687207330
Of course, in a time when the poor people are demo Of course, in a time when the poor people are demonized for being poor and homeless people are increasingly seen more as something to fear rather than human beings, it’s unfortunately not all that surprising.
https://conta.cc/3HxZpkV
https://conta.cc/3HwGcQq
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3HsVsOn
Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "cri Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "crimes of survival," like sitting, lying down, or sleeping in public space. In order to protect people from discriminatory enforcement of laws that were created deny people their right to exist where they happen to live The Right To Rest Act was created in 2015 and is still being fought for today!!!! 
The Right 2 Rest Act did not meet the threshold to be voted out of committee this term, but this informational hearing will ensure legislators know this bill is necessary to protect our human rights to public space! 
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Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to R Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to Rest Act, HB3501:  What it is, why we need it and how we make it happen in Oregon.  https://conta.cc/3ZOeMvA
WRAP Round Up & Job Announcement. Hello amazing en WRAP Round Up & Job Announcement.
Hello amazing endorsers and coalition members! First off, thank you for all of your enduring support for the Right to Rest Act. This legislative session is confusing and convoluted, and your faith in the positive impact of this bill makes the struggle worth it. 

We face numerous obstacles such as a delayed bill number and committee assignment, as well as losing a couple co-sponsors from 2021. However, Rep. Chaichi (Chief Sponsor) and Rep. Pham (Co-Sponsor) continue to move this bill forward and advocate on our behalf. 
https://conta.cc/3zl8SHO
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And the hits (sweeps) just keep on coming!!!

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Nationally, evictions from public housing have surged since late 2021, when the federal government lifted an eviction moratorium put in plac...
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