New details emerge in Cumberland County's plan for a homeless resource center
As Cumberland County moves forward with the design and construction of its new homeless center, additional details released Wednesday on the project revealed that the center will be staffed 24/7.
According to project plans submitted to Fayetteville’s Technical Review Committee ahead of its Oct. 25 meeting, the center, referred to in the documents as a "traditional shelter facility," “will house staff at all times to help (monitor) and minimize the movement of residents” outside of regular business hours. It is not yet clear how many homeless people the shelter will be able to house.
According to the plans, the facility will incorporate properties currently located at Plummers Lane, 352 Hawley Lane, 348 Hawley Lane, 344 Hawley Lane and 225 B St. According to Cumberland County property records, 352 Hawley Lane is privately owned, while 348 Hawley Lane, 344 Hawley Lane and 225 B St. are owned by the Cumberland County Board of Education.
Last month, Cumberland County commissioners unanimously approved a contract with architectural firm LS3P to design the two-story, $15 million center. The firm's Wilmington office is handling the project. County spokesperson Brian Haney has said that the estimated cost of the project was preliminary and would be finalized when a design is complete.
'It's so needed'
Val Sandoval, president of the local nonprofit Community Awareness Alliance, said Friday that the center will be crucial in helping the homeless community.
“It’s so needed,” she said. “There are many, many people sleeping in their cars and abandoned buildings.”
Debbie Brown, chair of the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Continuum of Care on Homelessness, said Friday that she has not received many details on the project but is optimistic about what it will do.
“The COC is excited to see that our community is getting additional beds. We’re interested to how that will play out,” Brown said. “Is it an emergency shelter? Is there an application to get in? Will they be using our Coordinated Entry program, our intake system?”
Further details on the center: Why Cumberland County commissioners are excited about a new homeless support center
She said that the center’s location would place it close to many resources in downtown Fayetteville, including the city’s Day Resource Center.
According to a document provided to potential contractors in the bidding process, the center will be between 50,000 and 60,000 square feet, with beds on the second floor for women and children and sleeping areas on the first floor for men. The center is also slated to include a community room, a commercial kitchen, a reception area, bathrooms with showers and a laundry room, according to county documents.
An estimate for when construction will begin or when the center will open has yet to be determined, though Commissioner Glenn Adams said last month that the county hopes to complete the project within one to two years.
Haney said Friday that the county is "finalizing land acquisition" for the center and has submitted special use permit and rezoning requests to the city. County staff are also working on a finalized contract with LS3P to bring to the Board of Commissioners for approval, he said.
Got a tip for a follow-up on this story? Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com or 910-481-8526.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County homeless center to provide full-time staffing
