Chautauqua Opportunities has been awarded $2.49 million for a homeless shelter for women in Jamestown.
The award is part of $17.3 million in state funding announced by Governor Kathy Hochul that will provide emergency and permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals.
COI Director of Housing and Community Development Josiah Lamp said they’re excited to be able serve women who are homeless in the community, “So this project is to build a temporary shelter for women who are over the age of 18. It’ll have about 18 total beds in the shelter and be located in downtown Jamestown in a building that is currently a mixed-use, multi-unit; and rehab that building and make it suitable for serving the homeless.”
Lamp said the only homeless shelter for women currently available is a domestic violence shelter. He said the benefit of the location is that it will be close to services.
Lamp added that the end of the eviction moratorium on January 15 that had been in place due to the Pandemic has increased the number of homeless people in the county, “Since the beginning of January, there have been 176 people who have been in a homeless shelter, at least for one night, which is definitely an increase over what what we have experienced over the last year. And we’re expecting that to continue to be a trend as more cases go to court and we see more evictions pending.”
Lamp said those needing to access services can call the County Department of Social Services in Jamestown at (716) 661-8200. He said the homeless shelter is scheduled to open in 2023.
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