Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board, Inc. (CSB) in order to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Front Door Shelter serving homeless individuals.
Over the last three years, CSB’s shelters have served 14% more single men and women. As a result, waitlists continue to grow - at times more than 125 people have been waiting for a shelter bed because they are all full. That means people are sleeping on the streets and in abandoned buildings. Shelter providers report that the increase in demand has also resulted in a 10-14 day wait for women seeking a shelter bed to receive one. Thanks to the City of Columbus, CSB expanded the shelter capacities in July to meet this shelter demand; however, emergency shelters are not able to sustain this increased level of need without additional capacity and funding for shelter beds and associated services. More shelter capacity is needed, especially during periods of extreme weather when usage spikes.
Over the last three years, CSB’s family shelter has served 65% more families. On average last month, 111 families were served nightly at the YWCA Family Center - a facility that was built to shelter 50 families a night.
CSB is ready to implement the Front Door Shelter to add capacity by purchasing a 62,000 square foot vacant warehouse (Project) for $2.3 million. Approximately 40,000 square feet will be converted into the Front Door Shelter - a 250 bed homeless shelter serving single adults (men and women) experiencing homelessness, plus overflow space for 20-40 families experiencing homelessness. The remaining 22,000 square feet will be reserved for possible future development including a medical clinic to serve homeless individuals, on-site job training, and possibly CSB Offices. The City is committing these funds from the 2012 and 2013 Bond Sale ($700,000) to ...
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