CINCINNATI — Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long and Mayor Aftab Pureval released the first draft of the next city budget last Friday, which includes a proposal for $5.5 million to purchase the property at 760 W. 5th Street in Queensgate. The plan is to convert the building into a daytime center for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Located across the street from Shelterhouse, the proposed center would be managed by a third-party organization and would be operational year-round.
The city of Cincinnati says it could be a game changer in its approach to dealing with homelessness, as most shelters across the Tri-State only serve those in need at night.
“Regardless of who owns and operates the building, it’s a good idea to have some place where people can go during the day," Kevin Finn, the president & CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness, told WCPO.
According to this organization, According to the organization, individuals who are homeless are three times more likely to die compared to those who reside in shelters, and ten times more likely when compared to the general population.
"The center can also serve as an emergency warming and cooling shelter on our coldest and hottest days, reducing the City's need to quickly gather resources to stand up recreation centers and other City assets for this purpose," Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long said. "While we must still build out the operating partnerships, securing the necessary resources to make this project a reality is a critical step in moving it forward."
See if Cincinnati's proposal for a daytime homeless shelter is sustainable in the video below:
It’s a solution, Strategies to End Homelessness, says, that has been discussed for a while.
“I think the bitter cold this past winter and the sort of scrabble to find safe places for people to be sort of kicked the effort into high gear," Finn said.
But there are still questions about if this could really be sustainable beyond the initial investment.
“The city’s involvement is really only the first step. We would really need that the center is set up in such a way that meals are provided, that means health professionals are on sight, that substance abuse treatment services are available, maybe on sight," Finn said.
WCPO reached out to the city for clarification on the next steps for acquiring the property. The city says it expects the building to serve around 200 people, and if this initiative is approved in the final budget, it would search for a partner, “capable of building out the operations of the center”.
