Converting Motels and Hotels into Affordable Housing—It Works!

Date: Monday, Oct. 4

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

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Moderator:

Yolanda Davila, BBVA

Panelists:

Megan Loeb, Associate Program Officer for Economic Vitality and Health at Oregon Community Foundation

Walter Moreau, Executive Director, Foundation Communities

Linda Taylor, H.O.M.E.S., Inc.

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Description:

States, cities and nonprofits are transforming older or vacant motels and hotels into short and long-term housing for the homeless. In this session you’ll learn about strategies for creating permanent housing for youth aging out of foster care, the chronically homeless, and homeless veterans. The session will also explore hotels as rapid acquisitions to provide safe, socially distanced shelter for community members impacted by wildfires and COVID-19. Learn about the often complex financial structures cobbled together–often at great speed–to make these things happen, and how developers have navigated zoning challenges and NIMBY backlashes. These are creative opportunities to quickly stabilize older or vacant unused structures and to focus on creating long-term permanent housing.