A non-profit says it’s converting a former Flagstaff motel into a transitional housing facility for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Devonna McLaughlin, CEO for Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona, says the organization has purchased the former Travelodge motel on E. Route 66.
“We know decent, affordable housing is a foundation for health and stability for families and we look forward to helping families transition from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency,” McLaughlin said in a statement Tuesday.
The facility will provide a maximum stay of 24 months for residents, the statement says.
The non-profit is using funds from the Community Development Block Grant, a federal initiative designed to assist individuals with housing, employment and other services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Housing Solutions plans to create studio apartments within the 44-unit building, with a groundbreaking ceremony slated Oct. 5.
The organization also operates Sharon Manor, a transitional housing facility for survivors of domestic violence.
Available data on homelessness in Flagstaff is limited, though the Department of Housing interviewed dozens of people experiencing homelessness in a 2020 data report. Out of the 51 individuals interviewed last year in Coconino County, 27% reported issues with substance use disorder, while 21.6% reported a mental illness.
Housing affordability also remains a prevalant issue, city officials say. Acity report updated in July estimates 45% of residencies in the city are housing cost burdened — meaning residents allocate more than 30% of their monthly income to pay for housing. The report estimates Flagstaff’s housing cost rises 29% higher than the national average.
