The Anderson Hotel Apartments in downtown San Luis Obispo are officially open.
A grand opening ceremony was held on Thursday.
“We call it the grand opening but it's the grand reopening,” said Scott Collins, Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO) Executive Director.
The renovation of the 66-unit, multi-story building at the corner of Monterey and Morro streets took more than 16 months.
Forty of the units are for people who are homeless and 26 are for those who work with them.
“Good affordable housing is going to be provided. It's going to improve their lives and beyond that,” said Rep. Salud Carbajal, (D) 24th District.
Rent for each unit is set at 30% of the area median income, but Collins says vouchers are available for every unit.
“Which means even though you don't have any income, your rent is still fully paid for the voucher,” Collins said.
The apartments have a bathroom, shower, and kitchen.
Renovating the building cost $52 million with funding coming from the city, county, state, and federal governments.
“This is a huge opportunity to make sure people aren't living on the streets and living in temporary shelter and also to receive services that are important to get housed, stay housed, and have a life of meaning and inclusion within our community," said Assemblymember Dawn Addis, (D) 30th District.
Seventeen people who previously lived in the building are moving back in.
Two of those people told KSBY News reporter McKenzie Diaz they’re worried about their safety, not knowing who their neighbors will be.
Collins said that most of the people being housed are coming from a shelter or transitional housing.
Collins adds that a property manager will also be on-site at all times.
