The City of Harrisonburg and Valley Open Doors are currently looking for a shelter location for the winter after the long-anticipated Homeless Services Center will not be ready when the cold weather arrives.
Construction on the Homeless Services Center project, now called the Navigation Center, was scheduled to be completed this month, but there have been delays, and now the timetable for completion is uncertain.
Nielsen Builders is serving as the construction contractor for the project. A groundbreaking ceremony was held last September.
“We had hoped to see the new Navigation Center completed by the end of October, however that is not going to be the case,” said Michael Parks, director of communications & public engagement for the City of Harrisonburg. “While a final completion date is starting to come more into focus, we do not have an official date to provide at this time.”
Parks said additional work to address fireproofing the building must be completed before the city will have a better picture on completion.
“Our team and our partners continue to work diligently to complete Harrisonburg’s Navigation Center, and we are eager to see this new facility begin supporting those in need of these services in our community,” said Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna R. Reed. “I’m grateful for all the hard work everyone involved in this project is putting in to make sure the Center opens as soon as possible.”
While the city waits, leaders are working with Open Doors to explore options for the cold days ahead.
“We are diligently seeking a temporary fixed shelter location within the city to bridge the gap,” Nate Riddle, executive director of Open Doors, told AFP. “While we have been considering contingency plans, the primary piece missing is a facility. We remain committed to doing all that we can to provide the life-saving service that shelter is.”
Riddle provided an update to Harrisonburg City Council on the project at its regular meeting on Oct. 22.
The nonprofit organization Open Doors was selected to serve as the operator of the Navigation Center earlier this year. The nonprofit will receive $100,000 annually from the city to support operation expenses as part of a three-year contract. The city will also pay for utilities and maintenance of the building and its fixtures, such as the kitchen and laundry equipment.
The center, when completed, will offer an overnight emergency shelter, a cold weather hypothermia program and a drop-in center during the day.
The city purchased the property from the Shenandoah Presbytery in June 2022. The project is supported in part by $5 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, approved by City Council in November 2021.
The Navigation Center will be located at 1111 N. Main St. in Harrisonburg. The drop-in center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The low-barrier shelter will be open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. year-round.
Anyone who might have a facility in Harrisonburg with the ability to host 20-40 individuals is asked to contact Riddle at (540) 705-1908.
More information about the project is available at https://harrisonburgva.gov/homeless-services-center.
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Crystal Graham
