By Tom Scanlon | Scottsdale Progress
A bill authored by a Scottsdale state representative would pull the plug on Scottsdale’s use of an underused hotel as temporary shelter for homeless people.
“State or local monies may not be used for mixed hoteling,” states the bill introduced Rep. Matt Gress, R-Scottsdale.
HB 2872 defines “mixed hoteling” as “providing rooms or shelter services, whether emergency, temporary or transitional rooms or shelter, to homeless individuals while concurrently providing hotel services to the general public in the same building or on the same premises.”
That spells out exactly what is happening at the Independence Hotel, where Scottsdale is using $940,000 from the Arizona Department of Housing to provide temporary shelter and case management for up to 120 people.
The contract calls for Scottsdale to rent 10 rooms at the hotel on Pima Road between Via de Ventura and Indian Bend Road through June 30.
