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Rapid Shelter Columbia (RSC) Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is Rapid Shelter Columbia?

In September 2022, the City of Columbia City Council announced and launched the Rapid Shelter Columbia (RSC) Campus. RSC encompasses the 50 Pallet shelters and the former Inclement Weather Center (IWC), now known as the Rapid Shelter Overflow.

See the press conferences on RSC Campus below:

2) How many pallets are available?

There are a total of 50 (40 for men, 10 for women) single occupancy Pallet shelters on the Rapid Shelter Columbia Campus.

3) Why Pallet Shelter?

https://palletshelter.com/why-pallet

4) Who does Rapid Shelter Columbia serve

Rapid Shelter Columbia serves single men and women, 18 years of age and older who are chronically homeless.

    • Per the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the definition of chronically homeless is an individual experiencing homelessness for at least 12 months or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years with a disabling condition (a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, a serious mental illness, developmental disability, or chronic physical illness or disability), including the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions; and these conditions limit an individual’s ability to work or perform one or more activities of daily living.)

5) What services are available at the Rapid Shelter Columbia site?

Rapid Shelter Columbia is partnering with several provider agencies throughout the Midlands to provide Primary Care, mental health, substance use, and overall physical/mental well-being support.

6) What is the criteria/criterion for individuals to be selected for the shelters? Is there an application process?

  • Individuals are chosen for the Pallet shelters on a referral basis ONLY. Rapid Shelter Columbia has partnered with provider agencies who have an outreach staff that are already engaged with the identified population. The outreach staff have already started assessing clients to be onboarded and have submitted referrals prior to November 1, 2022
    • Admission is not guaranteed until the onboarding process has been completed.
  • Individuals can also be referred by the Columbia Police Department (CPD) and its Pathways Program.
  • If the referral is approved, transportation to RSC is coordinated by the referring source, the case manager, and the Program Coordinator
  • No walk-ups are allowed to RSC.

7) How long can individuals stay in the program?

Participants can stay in the program for up to 90 days while working on those imminent needs to address individualized challenges, which caused homelessness. Participants work on their Individual Service Plans (ISPs) with their case manager who is centering on stabilizing participants in crisis and identifying suitable housing opportunities. The goal is to obtain housing that also provides wrap-around services to aid participants in their success.

8) Do individuals have to stay on-site all the time?

Participants do not have to stay on-site at all times. However, since participants will be working intensely on addressing their imminent needs, most of the work happens on-site with a provider. For outside appointments to address services that cannot happen on-site, staff will coordinate transportation. Staff will also provide transportation for shopping and other leisure outings.

9) What approach does Rapid Shelter Columbia use?

Rapid Shelter Columbia uses the Housing First approach. See link https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/

10) What happened to the Inclement Weather Center (IWC)? Will the services provided by the IWC still exist?

The Inclement Weather Center is now known as Rapid Shelter Columbia Overflow. Both the Rapid Shelter Columbia pallets shelters and the Rapid Shelter Columbia Overflow fall under the City of Columbia’s homeless programs. The Overflow will operate as it always has, opening from November 1-April 1, utilizing the National Weather Service website http://www.weather.gov/

  • when it is 40 degrees or below; or
  • 41-45 degrees with a 70% chance of rain after 5pm;
  • Severe weather conditions, to include prolonged rain, will be considered at the discretion of the Director of Homeless Services.
  • The Overflow can accommodate up to 240 individuals a night

11) Who do I contact in order to make a referral?

The first attempt to submit a referral should go through an outreach team person at any provider agency, such as MIRCI, Transitions, PRISMA Health, USC Supportive Housing, etc.

*RSC Outreach team members are in the process of being hired. Once they are on boarded, referrals will be submitted directly to them. The RSC Outreach team members will become primary contacts to coordinate with the provider agencies as we assess potential RSC participants. We will update and provide contact information for the RSC Outreach team as soon as possible.

Currently, if you are unable to reach an outreach provider, you can submit a referral to Nyasia Franklin, City of Columbia Homeless Services Program Specialist. Ms. Franklin can be reached at (803)545-3476; Nyasia.Franklin@columbiasc.gov

Updated 11-10-2022

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