SAN ANTONIO — A 200-bed hotel in downtown San Antonio will soon accommodate the community's most vulnerable homeless residents.
“This is a win for homeless services and our city’s homeless response system,” said Nikisha Baker, president and CEO of SAMMinistries.
The San Antonio City Council approved lease and operational agreements on Thursday to expand low-barrier shelter services run by local nonprofit, SAMMinistries.
Over two years, the city will pay $8.8 million to lease the Holiday Inn across the street from Public Safety Headquarters. SAMMinistries has been granted $7.1 million to operate the shelter at 318 W Cesar E. Chavez Blvd near Public Safety Headquarters.
Since 2021, SAMMinistries has helped 306 chronically homeless men and women at the Days Inn-turned homeless shelter downtown near the Alamo. Of those served, 44% have moved into permanent supportive housing, Baker said.
“They’re individuals who have a physical health disability, a mental health disability, perhaps substance use disorder,” Baker said.
San Antonio-Bexar County requires 1,000 units of permanent supportive housing to meet existing demand, according to Baker. This housing model involves a variety of services ranging from employment to substance abuse assistance.
Within the next three years, there’s projected to be upwards of 300 new units of permanent supportive housing created, Baker said.
The Holiday Inn previously operated as a temporary shelter run by Haven for Hope during the pandemic years, which made narrowing down the real estate options for a potential shelter easier, according to Patrick Steck, assistant human services director for the City of San Antonio.
Steck noted the City’s recently approved budget for fiscal year 2024 will pave the way toward increasing the number of housing vouchers, building more permanent supportive housing and cleaning up to 700 encampments.
“We have an overall goal of housing 400 people this year and this is a key part of that,” Steck said. “It’s a whole host of things that we’re working on to make sure folks have a long term place to stay.”
The Holiday Day Inn-turned shelter could accommodate between 450-600 people over the next two years. Plans are in place to install fencing and a security gate around the property as was the case for the Days Inn shelter. It’s unknown at this time if the lease will be extended by two years. Baker has stressed it’d be ideal to have low-barrier shelters in every district of San Antonio.
“We are really excited to be able to expand capacity. This will enable us to better serve our neighbors who are living unsheltered on the street in encampments,” Baker said. “It will provide a pathway to housing for individuals who can’t be served with our traditional shelter system.”
Earlier this year, SAMMinistries secured $18 million to provide more permanent supportive housing. The funds came from federal grants and money distributed from the $150 million housing bond approved by San Antonio voters in 2022.
---
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members.