Renderings for proposed new Salvation Army ANEW Center

The Jamestown Planning Commission has approved a site plan for the Salvation Army’s ANEW center while tabling site plans for Chautauqua Opportunities‘ Women’s Homeless Shelter.

The site plan approval for the Salvation Army facility is contingent on approval by City Department of Development staff.

The Salvation Army received $3.8 million to relocate and build a new homeless shelter for women and children. The new two-story building will have seven units and 19 beds. This $4.8 million project will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, create six additional beds and allows services staff to have offices in the same building.

The money is being administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.

The Planning Commission, under staff recommendation, tabled COI’s site plan for 303 Lafayette Street until September in order to further review building plans.

The facility will be able to shelter 18 women. It’s being funded through a $2.49 million grant from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing Josiah Lamp, speaking at a City Council meeting in February, said the City of Jamestown also is providing a $110,000 match through Community Development Block Grant funds. He said operating funds will come from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services as well as from Chautauqua Opportunities.

WATCH

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on both WRFA’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

A virtual Q&A was also available for audience members.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

Chautauqua Opportunities’ Director of Housing Josiah Lamp presents to Jamestown City Council

Jamestown City Council heard a presentation on the proposed homeless shelter for women to be located in downtown Jamestown.

Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing Josiah Lamp said the facility, which will be able to shelter 18 women, would be located at 303 Lafayette Street.

It’s being funded through a $2.49 million grant from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Lamp said the City of Jamestown also is providing a $110,000 match through Community Development Block Grant funds. He said operating funds will come from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services as well as from Chautauqua Opportunities.

Lamp said the first floor, which was formerly a laundromat, will be community space, “A lobby, there will be a secure entrance, and there will be a computer lab where the women can come in and look for housing, they can use that to look for employment. Then there will also be a laundry facility, storage facility, and then office space for our staff to work with them while they’re in shelter.”

Lamp said the second and third floors will have fully adaptable units with elevator access. He said the building will be secured through fob entry for the main entrance as well as for each unit. The facility also will be staff 24-7 by Housing Support Services employees.

Council member at Large Jeff Russell commented that there’s a definite need for this kind of shelter and that it’s long overdue. He asked Lamp if the women sheltered there would be just from Jamestown or from outside the area, including outside of the county. Lamp said the need is largest in Jamestown and that he doesn’t ever see anyone from outside the area being placed there.

The renovation of the Lafayette Street building is anticipated to begin this Fall with completion by July 2023.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing and Community Development Josiah Lamp about a grant they received to bring a women’s homeless shelter to Jamestown.

Chautauqua Opportunities

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.