Richmond Hostel slated to become a homeless shelter
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The city of Richmond is planning to convert a short-lived downtown hostel into a shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
What's happening: It's part of a long-delayed plan by the city to begin offering year-round shelter services for unhoused residents.
Why it matters: The number of people without homes in the region has continued to rise since the pandemic, and the city has struggled to stand up resources to help.
Details: The former Richmond Hostel on Second Street across from the main branch of the public library could house 50 families beginning in December, the city's chief administrative officer, Lincoln Saunders, told City Council members during a meeting Tuesday.
- The city hopes to open another 50 beds for single men in May of next year at a center on Chamberlayne Parkway operated by the Salvation Army.
By the numbers: The new facilities would increase total available shelter beds in the city by more than 50%, from 209 to 321.
- The monthly lease on the hostel building is $15,000, and the city has negotiated an option to purchase the facility if it goes on the market, per Saunders.
- He warned that total city spending for homeless services will likely rise from $2.4 million this fiscal year to $3.2 million.
Of note: City Council still has to sign off on plans for the new facilities.
What they're saying: "We know that we do not have enough year-round shelter beds available for those who are housing insecure today," Saunders said.
Flashback: The city was left scrambling to set up emergency cold weather shelters last year after a nonprofit provider backed out of plans to stand up a permanent shelter space near the city jail.
Richmond Hostel closed in 2021 after a five-year run.
- Potomac Area Hostels, a nonprofit hostel operator in Maryland, announced plans last year to reopen the facility, but the effort doesn't appear to have gotten off the ground, and the property's website still lists it as "coming soon in 2023."
- In an email to Axios, the company said it was pleased to collaborate with the city on the shelter.
Zoom out: As of July, there were 486 people experiencing homelessness in the region, per the latest point-in-time count conducted by Homeward on behalf of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care.
- That's an 8.7% increase compared to last year.
Between the lines: Kelly King Horne, the executive director of Homeward, told Axios she welcomed plans to open additional shelter beds.
- But she also noted that the only long-term solution to the problem is an ample supply of deeply affordable housing.
- "We know it's really housing that solves homelessness," she said.