MESA, Ariz. — Officials in the City of Mesa are advancing a project to convert a hotel into a temporary shelter for families and seniors experiencing homelessness.
A petition had been circulating in opposition to moving a city housing program into the Grand Hotel near Power Road and Main Street due to the perceived notion that it would make the surrounding neighborhoods less safe.
But the Mesa City Council voted Monday to introduce an ordinance that rezones the hotel property and allow it to be used as a social service facility.
The 70-room property would become a new home for Mesa's Off the Streets program, which originated during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate a rising number of people experiencing homelessness.
Since it's inception, the city said OTS has reportedly serviced up to 1,700 individuals.
"(Off the Streets) provides temporary housing, food, clothing, and access to support services such as mental health and substance abuse treatment to people experiencing homelessness," a city report states. "The City’s most vulnerable people, including seniors, families, and domestic violence victims, are given priority for placement in OTS."
City officials said they intend to upgrade the hotel property to make it safer by enhancing lighting fixtures, installing security cameras, and maintaining a visible police presence on site.
Despite there being some initial opposition to the project, some residents have voiced their support in turning the old hotel into serving a public function.
"This is fantastic for families that are sleeping in cars and providing them with a safe place to sleep," one Mesa resident wrote in a letter to the city.
Public records show Mesa and Maricopa County intend to utilize federal funds to purchase the Grand Hotel property.
The city council will review the project again on Nov. 6. If approved, then the city will quickly begin redesigning the property.
>>Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
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