Columbia’s Homeless Shelter Will Not Open as Scheduled

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)  —  No blue skies yet for the City of Columbia’s emergency homeless shelter or Christ Central Ministries, the organization that partnered with Columbia to run it ’round the clock.

“The problem is the city has not given Christ Central a contract,” said councilman Cameron Runyan.

City councilman Cameron Runyan, who is at the forefront of the new emergency homeless response plan, says despite a $1 million deficit pledge to be covered by private entities, the City is still prepared to use the $50 thousand it budgeted for the facility. However, other issues need to be “hammered out.”

“We’ve got to have an executed contract before we can go. There is not one,;until those pieces are done and that’s on our back as much as it is anybody else.”

There is still a lot of red tape to work through on this issue, including a $1 million shortfall to operate the facility 24/7 for seven months, which is written in the contract. We will keep you update on this developing story.