Public plea: $2.7M needed for homeless shelters

"Bring It Home," a community-wide campaign to raise the last $2.7 million needed to update and improve Cincinnati's emergency shelter system, launched Tuesday.

Without that money, the emergency Over-the-Rhine homeless shelter could open in the fall with lingering debt. While that may not sound catastrophic, services would have to be cut because the people who stay there don't pay any rent. And that's the very reason the new shelters were built to begin with – to offer significantly improved services to help people out of homelessness as quickly as possible.

Bridge financing allowed construction to begin on the new Drop-Inn Center in Queensgate, which will now be called Shelterhouse. It is tentatively set to open in September.

"We're replacing shelters that historically kept people safe and warm – but didn't provide many services – with shelters that provide an array of services to help people get out of homelessnees," said Kevin Finn, president and chief executive of Strategies to End Homelessness, which coordinates the work of 30 local agencies.

In 2014, 6,560 people slept in places not meant for human habitation, such as on the streets and under bridges, or were residents of an emergency shelter.

Fundraisers include City Gospel Mission, Lighthouse Youth Services, Talbert House and Shelterhouse, in partnership with Strategies to End Homelessness, and development partner 3CDC.

So far the Homes Shelter Collaborative, which was formed in 2010, has raised over $39 million toward the final goal of $42 million for five improved facilities.

"The collective impact of these facilities will be to transform our shelter system from one that keeps people safe-but-homeless, to a system that serves as a springboard back to housing and independence," Finn added.

Shelterhouse will be located at the site of the old Butternut Bread factory in Queensgate. The idea is not to increase the number of beds, but instead to reconfigure them and add services. There are separate facilities for women and youth.

Two of the five facilities, the Lighthouse Sheakley Center for Youth and Talbert House Parkway Center, opened in 2012. The improved City Gospel Mission opened its new shelter in April. The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women, located at 2499 Reading Road, will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting Friday. The Rebecca and David Barron Center for men is scheduled to open in September.

Shelter improvements include:

• Providing comprehensive daytime services, instead of forcing shelter residents onto the streets during the day.

• Drug and alcohol treatment, mental and medical health services, and job search and training services.

• Higher quality and increased case management services to help residents navigate complex systems and access the community resources they need to exit homelessness.

• Improved shelters follow a step-up model, providing incentives for residents to engage in the services that will assist them out of homelessness.

The goals of the improved shelter system are to decrease the number of people sleeping on the streets, under bridges, in doorways, or parks; decrease length of time that people are homeless; increase the number of people returning to permanent housing; increase employment, income and self-sufficiency.

Finn said the ambition of the Homeless to Homes plan goes beyond shelter.

"We are creating a shelter system that will help people out of homelessness for generations to come," Finn said. "By doing so, we are making our community even more vibrant, and improving the quality of life of all Cincinnatians."

How the plan came together

- October 2009: Cincinnati City Council passes ordinance requesting the plan.

- March 2009: Homeless to Homes plan is completed and adopted by city council and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners.

- January 2012: Sheakley Center for Youth opened.

- July 2012: Parkway Center opens.

- April 2015: City Gospel Mission opened.

- Friday: The women's Drop Inn Shelter, now called the Esther Marie Hatten Center for Women, opens.

- September 2015: The men's Drop Inn Shelter, now called Shelterhouse, is tentatively set to open. It is still under construction.

How you can help

Donations can be made on the Website: Strategiestoendhomelessness.org

Homeless in Cincinnati

In 2014, 6,560 people slept in places not meant for human habitation, such as on the streets and under bridges, or who were residents of an emergency shelter.

• 6,250 were served in shelters.

• 1,188 were served in places not meant for human habitation.

(Some people were served in both situations over the course of the year.)

On any given night...

•About 750 people are on streets or in shelters.