Plans for a city-run day shelter in Cincinnati are moving forward, but not in the originally planned location.
City Council allocated $5.5 million in the latest city budget to buy and renovate a building on West Fifth Street in Queensgate, across the street from the winter overnight shelter operated by Shelterhouse. The building at 760 W. 5th St. is owned by the Cincinnati Museum Center, which uses the space for records storage.
City Human Services Director Deanna White says the current owner will not move out soon enough for the city to open the day center in 2027 as planned. They’re now looking at other options.
"If we center people experiencing homelessness, and then think about locations that would be the most convenient for them, you're looking at areas immediately adjacent to the Central Business District," White told WVXU.
White says more funding could be required depending on the location chosen and how much renovation it needs.
In the meantime, the city will soon release a request for proposals to find an organization to operate the day shelter. The city plans to provide onsite services like housing coordination and behavioral health care, as well as meeting immediate needs like food, showers, and a place to rest.
That list is informed by engagement with over a hundred community organizations, plus interviews with 20 people experiencing homelessness.
"We aren't trying to recreate the wheel," White said, "We're resource rich, and we have people who've done this for a long time and done a really good job doing it. I think one of the things we learned from the folks who responded to these in-person interviews was that having everything in one place would be very convenient for folks."
Temporary extreme cold day center
The St. Anthony Center in Over-the-Rhine is on deck to serve as the city’s daytime shelter during extremely cold weather. It’s a temporary location for this winter while the Over-the-Rhine Recreation Center is under renovation.
St. Francis Seraph Ministries will operate the center when daytime temperatures drop below 15 degrees or during heavy snow or ice storms. That’s usually fewer than 15 days each winter.
When active, people experiencing homelessness will be able to get three meals plus snacks, access behavioral health services, and pick up gear like blankets, hats, and scarves. The center will also provide services for pets and a shuttle to and from the overnight winter shelter in Queensgate.
Eventually, the permanent daytime shelter will fill this need.
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