During a press conference held Tuesday, September 6th 2022, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, City Council members Aditi Bussells, Ed McDowell, and Will Brennan, along with City Manager Teresa Wilson and Police Chief William “Skip” Holbrook spoke to media representatives, members of the Task Force to Prevent and End Homelessness and local homeless service providers to announce a new concept for providing services to the chronically unsheltered homeless population.
City Officials to Launch
Rapid Shelter Columbia
“First city in the Southeast”
The concept for Rapid Shelter Columbia is the first transitional housing project of its kind to be launched in the southeast. The new temporary housing units will be built at 191 Calhoun Street. This is the site of the former Inclement Weather Center, which will now be identified as Rapid Shelter Columbia. The site will include approximately 50 Pallet sleeping cabins, which will be a part of a new construction plan. The congregate sleeping quarters which already exist on the property will continue to be utilized for overflow purposes during inclement weather nights.
The 50 individuals, who will be identified and designated to utilize the individual cabins, will also receive a full array of wrap around services from local professionals who will concentrate on assisting these persons with case management, life skills and arrangements for permanent housing. Local subject matter experts and homeless services providers will play a vital role in helping to screen and identify the individuals who will be housed in the Rapid Shelter Columbia cabins. The ultimate goal is to utilize the cabins for temporary transitional housing and then repeat the cycle for additional persons who are chronically unsheltered.
Construction for this project will be managed by the City of Columbia and will begin in September 2022 and the goal is to have the 50 cabins completed and ready for use by November 2022.
In addition to the construction operations, City officials will also be working over the next few months to solidify partnerships with local agencies for service provision purposes, as well as, seeking to hire three full-time staff members to oversee the daily management and operations of Rapid Shelter Columbia.
Once completed, Rapid Shelter Columbia will include 24 hour security, on-site case management services, on-site food services and it will provide a safe, stable and more sanitary environment for displaced/unhoused persons who may need assistance with getting their lives back in order.
The budget for Rapid Shelter Columbia is included in the budget amendment to be voted on by Columbia City Council during their City Council meeting on, Tuesday, September 6, 2022.