First homeless shelter for men breaks ground in Jackson
Jackson held the groundbreaking ceremony for its first men's homeless shelter on April 19 along with the second groundbreaking of a new senior center the following day.
Both facilities will be the first of their kind that the city has had in decades.
Located on McCorry Street, a project three years in the making has broken ground in a monumental effort to care for the male unhoused population. Once the construction management contract was approved during the January city council meeting, design plans began.
The groundbreaking came to fruition as a result of the work of a multi-entity collaboration between Jackson Housing Authority, Tennessee Homeless Solutions', Jackson City Council, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Henson Construction Services, TLM Associates and the Greater Jackson Chamber.
City of Jackson Chief Innovation Officer Lauren Kirk explained that the need for this facility was prioritized after a member of Jackson's unhoused community lost his life during freezing weather three years ago in December of 2020.
With multiple programs catered to unhoused women in Jackson like the Dream Center and the Scarlet Rope Project, there was a need for a shelter for men.
"Housing is critical for an individual, and a family, and community stability so we see this as just the first step toward making an ecosystem of housing that is quality and attainable for everyone in Jackson," Kirk said. "So we want this project to not be the finish but the start of seeing some more neighborhood revitalization and growth in our city."
With the COVID restrictions attached to the funding, there is a requirement of one bed and one bathroom per male. The shelter will begin to house between 16 and 20 men and when the restrictions ease, Kirk hopes to introduce bunk beds to each room to double the facility's capacity.
More: United Way leading push for 'needed' homeless shelter in Jackson
"It's definitely been a labor of love, and we're just glad to see it happening and see the community come around and support it and recognize it as an essential service," she said.
Both Kirk and Mayor Scott Conger noted that it has been approximately 25 years since the last men's homeless shelter, adding that the location of the shelter was decided upon with intention.
More: Shelter heads ask city council for funding for new homeless shelters
"We picked this spot and this area for a reason because the services are near," Conger said.
Just a few short blocks from Area Relief Ministries (ARM) and a short walk to Regional Inter-Faith Association (RIFA), the men living at the shelter have close access to necessary resources and support.
Tennessee Homeless Solutions Director Amy McDonald explained that the plan is to run a low, to no-barrier shelter, while offering support services and connection to more permanent housing programs.
"It's our goal that people rotate out of the shelter every 30 to 45 days," McDonald said. "Of course, there will be some circumstances that there will be longer stays."
Because the facility is considered an emergency shelter, an individual can only stay up to 90 days. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring and the facility is expected to be up and running by next winter, according to Kirk.
City breaks ground on first senior center
The dirt was tossed at the second groundbreaking event on April 20 for the city's first senior center next to the tennis complex at Westwood Gardens.
At the ceremony, Conger reflected on his time as President of United Way and the stories he heard "of how senior citizen centers save lives."
More: Westwood Gardens Drive senior center sees forward motion, finally
The center has been in the works for four years and comes as the first of its kind in over 30 years.
"This is not only going to add to the quality of life in Jackson, but it's going to save lives in Jackson," he said. "That's what it's all about is serving people and making sure that everyone in our city has an opportunity to have a high quality of life."
Virginia Conger, the mayor's grandmother and wife to former Jackson Mayor Robert Conger, shared a few words at the groundbreaking about the process it took to find the right location.
She explained that every prospective place had some sort of drawback whether it be a lack of parking or not close enough to the center of the city. When it was decided that Westwood Gardens would be the ideal location, Conger said she was given the task of getting in touch with the property's owner Jimmy Anderson.
Anderson noted that he was grateful that Conger's grandmother had contacted him and that it was "a great honor" for him to donate the land.
"You're always looking for something good to do for the community and knowing that it was going to be followed through with something very positive," Anderson said.
Construction for the facility will commence once the building design is finalized.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: First homeless shelter for men breaks ground in Jackson
