City of Tempe

Tempe purchased the former Roadway Inn, near Apache Boulevard and Price Road, to use as a noncongregate shelter.

This week, two Arizona hotels, one in Tempe and one in Flagstaff, were sold to create affordable and transitional housing for vulnerable communities.

NewGen Advisory is the company facilitating those purchases, one by the city of Tempe and one by Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona.

While not all of NewGen’s hotel sales are focused on helping vulnerable communities, these two purchases will assist those in need of short-term or affordable housing, as well as employment and rehabilitation assistance.

Mike Carroll is a member of NewGen’s Hotel Conversion Task Force. He says a need to help people without housing, as well as hotel owners’ struggles at the start of the pandemic, caused NewGen to begin facilitating sales.

“Governments and [nongovernmental organizations] around the country were trying to identify opportunities and places for the vulnerable communities during this pandemic,” said Carroll.

Tempe is using funds from the American Rescue Plan act to purchase the 40-room Rodeway Inn, and Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona is using CARES Act funding to purchase the 44-unit Travelodge Hotel.