Cincinnati Public Schools' "Safe Sleep Lot," a secured overnight parking lot designed for students and families living out of their cars, opens at Taft Elementary in Mt. Auburn Thursday.
The lot will be run by Project Connect, a homeless advocacy organization within the school district that provides students and their families with food, clothing, housing resources and now, a secure place to stay at night if they can't immediately find stable housing.
Project Connect developed the idea in early 2025 to meet the needs of thousands of children in the city who are experiencing some form of homelessness. Unstable housing is a growing issue district-wide — about 300 CPS students will spend a night sleeping in a car at some point during the school year. Program Manager Rebekah Beach says this lot is designed to give those families some relief from the anxiety that comes with sleeping in a car.
"They're not able to rest at night due to just having to move, or feeling unsafe and wanting to watch their children during the night. That just perpetuates the cycle of homelessness," Beach told WVXU. "We hope that families will feel safe at this lot and be able to get as good a night's rest as you can sleeping in a vehicle."
More than a place to park
When the lot officially opens, it'll be more than just a place to stay. A trailer will be on-site with an overnight security office, a kitchenette stocked with food, and a bathroom and shower. Families also will be able to do laundry during their stay.
The additional amenities were added to the Safe Sleep Lot project within the past year, thanks to other organizations that heard about the idea and wanted to help. Shelter and housing specialist Megan Rahill says these additions will create a more dignified experience for families staying overnight while also offering much-needed privacy.
"We just really approach it from a non-judgmental place," she said. "We've talked with our security about confidentiality and making sure families know we're not going to be broadcasting who's staying in the lot in any way. It's really just a safe place for them to quietly stay."
How to use the lot
The Safe Sleep Lot will open with 12 spaces available. The organization expects that to be enough space to meet the initial demand.
Individual schools can refer students and their families to Project Connect for a space in the lot. Families then need to do a brief intake interview with Project Connect to gain access
Beach says that while hundreds of students may sleep in a car at some point during the year, it's usually only for a period before they find somewhere else to stay. Families staying in the lot will be connected to more permanent housing through the organization.
Project Connect plans to celebrate the lot's opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday morning outside Taft Elementary.
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