New transitional housing for the homeless community coming to Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- Colorado Springs continues to see a growing homeless population. Now, a new housing project hopes to help decrease the numbers by providing a temporary place to stay as they look for more permanent housing. 

Travis Williams is the Chief Development Officer at the Springs Rescue Mission, he said this new transitional housing will also help two demographics that are often overlooked. Those two groups are women and senior citizens.

"This will serve as a beacon of hope for folks who are striving to get off the streets who have gone through robust programming at Springs Rescue Mission and are so close to reintegrating back into the community," said Williams. "Soon this apartment complex, formally known as the 4 u motel, will become transitional housing for men and women in Colorado Springs."

Williams said last fiscal year his non-profit helped serve more than 5,000 people. Out of those about 25 percent were women and 27 percent of the whole group were seniors.

"Just in general women who are seeking resources at Springs Rescue Mission continue to increase as we have made the campus safer and provided opportunities. What we are seeing is we need to continue to find spaces for seniors. That is a growing demographic and so to have a transitional housing opportunity for seniors, I believe that is going to be transformational for many in this community," added Williams.

This new transitional housing unit located on South Nevada Avenue will help house 12 individuals, and it solves another problem, as it gives a new life to a property that has fallen into woe.

"What these also do is provide hope for any individuals that are struggling with homelessness so that they can look out and they can go, okay, if I engage in these robust resources at Springs Rescue Mission there is another step," said Williams.  

 If all goes according to plan the new transitional housing unit will open its doors by June of 2024.