Smuggler's Inn transformed into homeless housing in Fresno
Fox News original article
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A Fresno hotel has now been renovated into a thriving community of affordable housing for people who are homeless.
The Smuggler's Inn has been renamed Crossroads Village, and now serves as a 165-unit housing project providing affordable housing for local individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Katie Wilbur is the Executive Director of RH Community Builders, a Central Valley organization focused on ending homelessness.
“This is not just housing, we do provide on-site case management both through RH Community Builders and many of our community partners,” explained Wilbur.
Crossroads Village now serves as an affordable housing project for the homeless. RH co-owns and co-operates the property.
“Maybe they have a recent eviction or they don’t have credit history, so through the Homekey grant and through the support of programs that Fresno County offers, we are able to accept those clients and help them reestablish rental history, get into their own apartment and really start living that independent life,” said Wilbur.
Back in October the County of Fresno was awarded $14 .8 million through California’s Homekey Program to buy the property.
“We completely renovated the project and brought it all up to ADA and did some improvements on the outside and inside of the rooms to make it a little bit more homey,” Wilbur explained.
The state's Homekey program aims to partner with local groups to acquire and revamp hotels, motels, and apartment buildings to serve people experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of becoming ill from the coronavirus.
“It’s not a cookie-cutter program, it is case-by-case, 'what part of the rent can you pay?,' 'How can we support you in increasing that?,' said Wilbur, "We have case managers on-site who carry a small caseload so they can meet with the clients being right here on site,” said Wilbur.
Diana Babcock just moved into Crossroads Village.
“I can’t do nothing but tell the truth, it’s really wonderful you see how beautiful the grounds are,” said Babcock.
"It’s beautiful, I love it, my room is wonderful, I mean, the grounds are wonderful, I just love it, I’m glad they accepted me,” Babcock added.
"Many of the programs have a maximum length of support," said Wilbur, "But after the time out of their subsidy or after they have become independent, as long as they continue to pay their rent and be a good tenant they can definitely stay.”
Wilbur said most assistant programs last up to one year.
According to Wilbur, about 90 of the units already have tenants and the team at Crossroads Village is processing six to seven new tenants a day.