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A column in the Colorado Sun Oct. 22 caught my attention. The writer advocated for “Rehabilitation First” for people experiencing homelessness. Rehabilitation First is a philosophy that people who experience homelessness suffer from addiction and need substance abuse treatment if they are to succeed in housing. Aurora recently charted a “Rehabilitation First” approach. That doesn’t mean people who aren’t sober have to sleep outside. But cities with a Rehabilitation First approach tend to stockpile those not willing to undergo treatment in congregant shelters. Those who agree to treatment get better, more long-term accommodations.

(Denver, Colo.) The Denver City Council gave initial approval Monday to purchasing another hotel to convert into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The city will spend $9 million to acquire the Stay Inn at 12033 E. 38th Ave., 3835 Peoria St. and 3805 Peoria St. The four-story walk-up motel includes 96 units, 89 of which have been converted to include kitchenettes. Kitchenettes will feature a microwave, coffee maker, mini-refrigerator, hotplate, food storage area and sink.

Aloft Hotel, downtown DenverPhoto byGoogle Street View. (Denver, Colo.) After housing people experiencing homelessness since April 2020 at a cost of more than $16 million, Aloft Hotel downtown likely will cease operation as a non-congregant homeless shelter by the end of April.

(Denver, Colo.) Denver is juggling four new homeless hotel projects and others are in the works, according to city officials. During last week’s Safety, Education, Housing and Homelessness Committee meeting, members agreed to give a developer $983,456 to help acquire the Sand and Sage and Westerner hotels, 8405 and 8415 E. Colfax Ave. The full City Council still must approve the grant.

The Stay Inn at 12033 38th Ave., Denver, likely will be converted into housing for people experiencing homelessness.Google Street View. (Denver, Colo.) The Denver City Council likely will use a $2 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help buy a 96-room hotel for people experiencing homelessness.

The Aloft hotel in downtown Denver is one of several housing people experiencing homelessness at risk for COVID.Aloft. (Denver, Colo.) Hotels for people experiencing homelessness at risk for COVID not only prevent disease transmission, but also reduce hospital use, a new study has shown.

Denver police cruisers often sit outside Salvation Army Crossroads homeless shelter.Google Street View. (Denver, Colo.) Earlier tonight I mentioned to a neighbor that my heart is heavy for the residents of Quality Inn on Zuni in Denver.

The cover of Denver's 2023 plan to address homelessness.City and County of Denver. (Denver, Colo.) Denver’s plan to address homelessness in 2023 contains 56 pages and is backed by a quarter of a billion dollar budget, but it won’t even come close to housing everyone living on the streets.

(Denver, Colo.) The Denver City Council anted up another $1.6 million for Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Monday to staff hotels for people experiencing homelessness at risk of catching COVID.

(Denver, Colo.) The Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the Denver City Council approved Wednesday a contract providing hotel rooms to people experiencing homelessness through March 31, 2023.

A resident of Quality Inn, which has housed homeless people two years, explains she is 83.Denver 8. (Denver, Colo.) Several homeless residents of Quality Inn hotel on Zuni Street say they have nowhere to go now that the city is kicking them out.

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless CEO John Parvensky is retiring.Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. (Denver, Colo.) John Parvensky makes a lot of money overseeing Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. But then, he’s CEO of a non-profit health care and housing system with dozens of properties.