Today the city announced plans to create its first low-barrier shelter for the homeless. The new shelter will be located at 3101 Erato St. in Central City.
The shelter’s location was chosen for its proximity to several homeless amenities, including the VA’s Community Resource and Referral Center, and Health Care for Homeless providers.
The shelter is created for those who need immediate housing that cannot be reached by the city’s current housing initiatives. Low-barrier shelters have fewer requirement for entry compared to other shelters around the city.
In 2016, the city allocated $1 million to create a low barrier shelter. The Downtown Development District matched and will continue to match the city’s funding for the shelter.
The shelter will be operated by a non-profit organization. The city will initiate a Request for Proposal later this year.
This new shelter strategy is a part of the city’s Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, which was commissioned by Mayor Mitch Landrieu in 2011.
Landrieu is still committed to his plan.
"We are committed to cleaning up our streets and helping our homeless residents transition to housing," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in the press release announcing the shelter. "Together, we have accomplished major reductions in homelessness, and we were able to effectively end veteran homelessness. We believe this low-barrier shelter can become a critical step to better connect our homeless population with the necessary services they need so they can begin the transition back into stable housing," he added.
The shelter is expected cost the city and the Downtown Development District, between $500,000 to $750,000 annually. The shelter will have 75-100 beds.
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