Welcome to the new Hotel California, you can check in and may never want to leave. A 19-storey luxury hotel has opened in downtown Los Angeles, featuring 228 studio apartments and 50 one-bedroom apartments. The cost of each unit averages US$600,000 to build and the building features amenities including a gym equipped with treadmills, rowers, bikes, and a cable machine. There is also a communal patio area, an art room, a soundproof music room, a computer room, a library and a café, with the aim to create a supportive community that promotes wellness and stability for its residents. The residents are homeless people in LA and the building is located in the city's infamous Skid Row neighbourhood, as reported by Fox News. The building is designed to offer homeless individuals a chance to live in a dignified and supportive environment, complete with amenities such as a gym, café, art studio and more, reports United Liberty.com. Financing for the project comes from LA’s Proposition HHH, a supportive-housing program LA voters approved in 2016. Funding also comes from state housing funds and US$56 million in state tax credits. “The total cost of the project is estimated at $165 million. Critics argue that the high cost per unit is excessive and raises questions about the efficient use of taxpayer money,” reports United Liberty.com, adding the hotel has “received mixed reactions from politicians and the public." "Some praise the initiative for addressing the homeless crisis with innovative solutions, while others criticize it for being an imprudent use of public funds, sparking discussions about the balance between providing quality housing for the homeless and managing fiscal responsibility.” .Supporters say the project provides important benefits to its residents, as well as providing stability and access to a number of support services. A number of units, about 40 reports United Liberty.com, will be made available solely to US service veterans and the building’s aim is to create a safe, self-contained environment, shielding residents from the dangers of Skid Row. The hotel is the first of three planned towers in the area, with the second tower currently under construction and the third in the planning phase. Upon completion the three buildings are designed to accommodate approximately 700 homeless people.
