City officials unveil plan to provide shelter for homeless

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — City officials unveiled a new plan to help people who are experiencing homelessness.

A new village will be built at 191 Calhoun Street just off of Huger Street.

The community will contain pods, or small cabins, built by a company called “Pallet shelters.”

Each pod will be sixty four square feet in size.

“These palette homes will serve as a short term approach to housing until individuals are triaged into permanent solutions. Palette shelters are trauma informed, they’re effective, they’re rapid in implementation and they provide housing for those experiencing homelessness with dignity and compassion. The Rapid Shelter housing campus where we’re all standing today will have security 24 /7 and will be a safe and secure facility,” says Dr. Aditi Bussells, Columbia City Council Member.

According to City of Columbia officials, the 50 individuals, who will be identified and designated to utilize the individual cabins, will also receive a full array of wrap around services from local professionals who will concentrate on assisting these persons with case management, life skills and arrangements for permanent housing.

Local subject matter experts and homeless services providers will play a vital role in helping to screen and identify the individuals who will be housed in the Rapid Shelter Columbia cabins.  The ultimate goal is to utilize the cabins for temporary transitional housing and then repeat the cycle for additional persons who are chronically unsheltered.

Construction for this project will be managed by the City of Columbia and will begin in September 2022 and the goal is to have the 50 cabins completed and ready for use by November 1st 2022.

In addition to the construction operations, City officials will also be working over the next few months to solidify partnerships with local agencies for service provision purposes, as well as, seeking to hire three full-time staff members to oversee the daily management and operations of Rapid Shelter Columbia.

The Inclement Weather Center at the same Calhoun address is being renamed Rapid Shelter Columbia.  The buildings will still carry 188 additional beds to be used by people experiencing homelessness during nights with heavy weather.

According to City Manager Teresa Wilson, the new pod community will also be another option for homeless people who want their own space and don’t feel comfortable in congregate solutions that are already offered.

“If we still focus on dignity and compassion, I think hopefully we will have a return on this very worthwhile, we believe, investment,” says Wilson.

The village will also have bathrooms, laundry facilities, food services, and on-site coordinators to help those experiencing homelessness find permanent solutions.

The project combined with funds for all other homeless initiatives will cost around $3 million.