(Des Moines, IA) -- The downtown Des Moines Holiday Inn is the next target for an affordable housing project. Non-profit Greater Des Moines Supportive Housing wants to rework the 12-story hotel and put in 150 apartment units.
Emily Osweiler is the nonprofit's CEO.
"We will fit in between permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and low income housing without supportive services," Osweiler says. "We are not a shelter, we are not a recovery program, we are not public housing.
Her target is people who make 60% less than the area's median income of $47,000. She says it's a plan for those on low incomes to sign leases and build rental history, while also receiving support.
"Case management, rental assistance, transportation assistance, a pantry for food, clothes, hygiene household items, and groups and classes for...life skills and more," Osweiler says.
But opponents are hesitant on the idea. Kathy Hellstern, who is the president of the city's Riverbend Neighborhood Association, agrees it's needed but that the Holiday Inn site is not the right spot.
"I believe that in the hands of Greater Des Moines Supportive Housing, a well-planned housing plus services program would be a benefit to our city," Hellstern says. "Putting this project in already disadvantaged communities...inequitably clusters social services and creates an area of concentrated poverty."
She also talked about the loss of event and hotel revenue.
"Placing this particular project at what should be the gateway to our main commercial corridor will suffocate our revitalization efforts," Hellstern says. "No to mention the loss of hotel and event-level revenues to our tax base."
The City Council approved a HUD grant of up to 5-milion-dollars for the project at Monday's meeting.
