The City of Tacoma, in partnership with Pierce County Community Youth Services will open a Cold Weather Young Adult Shelter on Dec. 14.
The shelter will operate seven days a week from 6:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. through March 31, 2016 at the Beacon Senior Center to provide young adult men and women who are experiencing homelessness a safer alternative to urban camping.
“The City met with its community homeless service providers to develop a Cold Weather Season Plan, and through those conversations it became evident that the community was missing resources to help young adults, ages 18-24,” said Nadia Chandler-Hardy, Neighborhood and Community Services Director.
To open the temporary shelter, the City has set aside $150,000 for the shelter with the intent to provide up to 50 beds per night, Chandler-Hardy said.
The City is investing an additional $84,600 in cold weather homeless services, which will allow both the Salvation Army and the Tacoma Rescue Mission to expand shelter services to families with children and adult women and men from Dec. 1 through March 31 with the intent to not turn away anyone seeking shelter.
“This biennium the City has budgeted $6.24 million to invest in homelessness services and programs, including the expansion of shelter operations during the cold weather season,” City Manager T.C. Broadnax said. “Working with community shelter providers to make more resources available during the cold weather season is a positive step in addressing system needs, and I will continue to challenge my staff to partner with the community to look at system approaches to work toward ending homelessness in Tacoma.”
The young adult shelter, which will operate after the Beacon Senior Center closes and before it opens, will provide participants with meals prepared and delivered by the Tacoma Rescue Mission as well as provide access to resources, case managers and social services.
“Homelessness affects a broad range of people including vulnerable families and youth,” Mayor Strickland said. “For the first time in 30 years, Tacoma will have a youth shelter. We hope that surrounding communities and cities will consider doing the same to ensure we have a comprehensive regional strategy and full county-wide participation to address this urgent need.”
The City, Pierce County Community Connections, and Community Youth Services, are hoping to have a permanent youth and young adult day center and young adult emergency overnight shelter location identified before March 31 to be able to provide a seamless transition of services when the temporary cold weather shelter closes.
The City and Pierce County are in the site selection process for the permanent facility.
For more information about the cold weather young adult shelter call Pierce County Community Youth Services at (253) 256-3087.
