US$ 6M has been set aside by New York’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program to help develop a former commercial building at 1801 Erie Blvd. E. into a new US$ 12.7M Syracuse Homeless Shelter.
Catholic Charities of Onondaga County will make use of the $6 million federal funding to transform the former commercial building into a new Syracuse Homeless Shelter location that will provide 80-bed spaces for homeless men.
In addition to the 80-bed spaces, the new Syracuse Homeless Shelter will also include 40 office spaces for professional staff, onsite health and mental health services, a commercial kitchen for workplace development programs, and six apartment units earmarked for extremely vulnerable homeless men.
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The Intake Center, which is part of Catholic Charities’ Emergency Services Downtown office, will also be integrated for the provision of assistance to homeless individuals or families in need of emergency housing, by helping them gain access to any of the shelters in the city. This assistance also covers their transportation to the shelters.
The remaining funds will be generated through community support and fundraising.
Reasons for Syracuse Homeless Shelter relocation
According to Catholic Charities, the location of its men’s shelter has been at 1047 S. Clinton St. since 2013, but after discussions with JMA, an agreement was reached to relocate and make way for JMA Wireless’s new 5G campus, which will build the components needed for 5G wireless networks.
Catholic Charities said it chose to support JMA’s transformational project because it acknowledges the economic benefits that the new 5G campus would bring to Syracuse and the South Side neighborhood.
Chief development officer for Catholic Charities, Brenda Parkerson mentioned that the old shelter will stay open until the new Boulevard homeless shelter project is completed and ready for occupancy by fall.
