Williams said the new facility was really two projects in one. He said one side we have a 50-bed men’s temporary shelter and the other side will have 30 permanent supportive apartments that are located at 1001 Grove Street.
“We’re excited,” Williams said. “It’s been a long time coming (for the new facility).”
He said construction is finishing at the facility and it is awaiting final approvals and inspections before it can begin operations.
“The Model Group has done a great job in overseeing the construction of the Hope House,” he said.
Williams said many people made donations to the project.
Williams said already there have been a lot of volunteers helping to move furniture into the new building.
“We’re hoping to move the men in to the apartments first,” Williams said. “Then we’ll move men into the shelter and later on accept new people.”
He said Hope House is working with Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority to aid eligible clients in obtaining housing vouchers to pay rent for the apartments.
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“We’ll be full by the time we open,” he said. “It shows you the need that’s out there.”
The apartments will be available as men transition from the temporary shelter and will be based on income limits. Williams said those men will have to apply for a housing voucher from Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority as well as apply to Hope House to obtain an apartment.
The apartment will feature a bedroom, individual bathroom and walk-in closet and will also have individually controlled HVAC systems. On the apartment side of the facility, there will be 15 units on each floor. Williams said each floor will have an ADA compliant apartment as well as laundry room and a day room with a small kitchen and place to eat their meals.
The new Hope House will also feature in-house counseling and social services and other resources, he said. The facility will be staffed with full-time nurses and a doctor will also make periodic visits each week.
Williams said 90 percent of the men who end up at Hope House are substance abuse addicts, have mental health issues, or both.
The sizes of the dorm rooms in the temporary shelter will hold, four, six or eight clients who will sleep in bunk beds, each with a drawer to store personal items. There will be bathrooms with showers, a cafeteria, chapel, commercial kitchen and a larger intake area. In the intake area, clients can do paperwork get a shower and switch into temporary scrubs while they launder their clothing before being assigned a dorm room.
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Williams said the temporary shelter will have an area where and entire homeless family can stay together that includes a separate bathroom/shower area.
The facility will also house administrative offices for staff. Hope House is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cincinnati-based City Gospel Mission.
The faith-based nonprofit also operates a women’s shelter on Girard Avenue. Williams said the organization made the mens shelter a priority since the building on Main Street was sold. He said the organization will address the women’s shelter at a later date
Existing Resources in Butler County for the homeless
- City of Hamilton: Municipality, community planning and funding support for homeless services, law enforcement.
- City of Middletown: Municipality, community planning and funding support for homeless services, law enforcement.
- Butler County: Community planning, Permanent Supportive Housing (shelter and care), administration, law enforcement.
- Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority: Public housing, housing choice vouchers.
- Community Development Professionals: Permanent Supportive Housing (Shelter Plus Care).
- Butler Behavioral Health: Mental health; case management; housing.
- Community Behavioral Health: Mental health; case management; housing
- Sojourner Recovery Services: Substance abuse treatment – inpatient; outpatient.
- Genesis Substance: abuse treatment – inpatient; outpatient.
- Hope House Rescue Mission: Emergency shelter.
- Serve City: Emergency shelter.
- YWCA: Transitional shelter for women.
- Veterans Affairs: A VA services and referral.
- Veterans Services Commission: VA services and referral.
- Butler County Success: Homeless liaison for schools.
- Oxford Family Resource Center: Emergency housing and referrals.
- The Dream Project: Developing new transitional housing.
- SHALOM: Emergency shelter during winter months.
- Family Promise Emergency: shelter for families.
- Access Counseling Services Outreach: Mental health: case management, housing, therapy.
- Emergency Money Fund: One-time financial assistance to prevent/end homelessness.
- Women Helping Women: Domestic violence, crisis intervention.
- Freedom House: Faith community, supportive services.
- Lighthouse Church: Faith community, supportive services.
- SHALOM: Seasonal emergency shelter, supportive services.
- Warren Metropolitan Housing Authority: Homelessness Crisis Response Programs funding.
SOURCE: City of Middletown
Tentative schedule for SHALOM
Here is a tentative schedule for the 2019-2020 season at Serving the Homeless with Alternative Lodging Of Middletown (SHALOM):
- Feb. 9-15: Christ United Methodist/First Christian Church
- Feb. 16-22: Stratford Heights Church of God
- Feb. 23-29: Quest Church
- March 1-7: First United Methodist
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