Columbia to partner with United Way again to open winter homeless shelter

The city of Columbia will once again partner with the United Way of the Midlands to run a winter inclement weather shelter.

The shelter will be located in the same building where it operated last year, 191 Calhoun St., at a cost to the city of up to $364,531.62. City Council approved a resolution authorizing the funds and terms on Tuesday.

The agreement is that the city foots the bill while United Way assumes operating responsibilities.

Last year the city authorized spending up to $350,000 to fund the shelter. It was open 83 nights between Nov. 6 and April 1 when the temperature dropped to 40 degrees or less and some special circumstances.

More than 750 individual people stayed at the shelter last winter, many of whom stayed multiple times. An average of 133 men and women stayed at the shelter on those nights. Numbers ranged from 86 to 203 people, never reaching the 240-person maximum occupancy.

This year’s agreement between the city and United Way assumes the shelter could operate as many as 100 nights for up to 240 people a night.

It will be open from Nov. 1 to April 1 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 a.m. on nights when the temperature is forecast to drop below 40 degrees.

People wishing to stay at the shelter on nights it is open will be picked up at the Clean of Heart laundry facility in the United Way parking lot along Laurel Street across from the bus station and dropped off there the next morning. Walk-up guests will not be accepted at the shelter.

A hot dinner and a light breakfast will be provided to those staying at the shelter.

Transitions Homeless Shelter will provide staff for the winter shelter.

United Way will subcontract with G4S to provide on-site security, with the Salvation Army to provide food and paper products and with Community Pastor Care to provide transportation.

The agreement includes a provision that if costs of the shelter exceed the appropriated $364,000 because of unforeseeable events, such as unexpected periods of extreme weather, the city will work in good faith with United Way to request additional funding from City Council.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 9:14 PM.