CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Public Schools leaders officially opened up the "Safe Sleep Lot" outside of William Howard Taft Elementary School on Thursday, marking the first district-run site of its kind in the nation.
The lot will hold 12 open spots at any time through Nov. 30. Eligible families struggling to find stable housing can park and sleep overnight there once approved through an intake process.
"I have no idea what it's like to be 5 years old and have to sleep in a car and then go to school and get your reading lesson and your math lesson and take a test," CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy said, speaking to a crowd of parents and community leaders. "You may not have experienced that either, but you understand the mission and the vision and the difference your contributions are making today."
The initiative, spearheaded by CPS's homeless advocacy organization, Project Connect, is fully funded through grants and donations, according to a district spokesperson.
WATCH: Here's how CPS's 'Safe Sleep Lot' aims to help struggling families
"I currently have two families signed up to start (Thursday night)," Megan Rahill, shelter and housing specialist for Project Connect, said. "But then I'm anticipating that we'll probably have maybe three to four families a night, but we have 12 spots maximum that we can provide."
According to Project Connect Program Manager Rebeka Beach, more than 4,000 Cincinnati Public Schools families experience homelessness each school year, underscoring the need for the site.
"We've seen a real spike in the number of families sleeping in places unfit for human habitat, such as vehicles or outside," she said. "And that number is between three and 400 over the course of a school year."
Along with providing on-site security for families in the lot, project organizers placed certain amenities inside a nearby ADA-accessible trailer: two restrooms, two showers, a kitchenette, a microwave, a refrigerator and a separate office space. Families will also receive some toiletries and a sleep kit.
"Standard textiles provided us with 250 kits, like sleep kits," Rahill said. "Those will be provided to families, and then they'll be able to have them laundered, so they'll be able to keep using those."
The lot should act as a sort of "bridge" for families, Beach said, to receiving shelter placement. Or, if the family meets the Department of Housing and Urban Development's definition of homelessness, a short stay in a hotel courtesy of Project Connect.
If you're someone interested in this future program or getting connected to other resources from Project Connect, visit their website here.
