After an extensive search, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced the purchase of a property on Madison’s Near East Side for a permanent homeless day center.
The property, located on the 1300 block of East Washington Avenue, is expected to open in October 2016, and will serve as “a one-stop shop containing critical services to help those in need,” Parisi said in a Wednesday statement.
The Homeless Day Resource Center is intended to provide basic need services, including access to private showers, laundry facilities and meals, as well as storage space.
The center will also have rooms in which providers can meet privately with individuals and families in order to provide them with community services or connect them to outside support, such as mental health services, addiction treatment, permanent housing and economic assistance.
Although the offer by the county has been accepted by the building owners, the county board must still approve the purchase. The county also needs to make multiple renovations before the center opens to the public.
Z! Haukeness, a local community organizer who works with the homeless population in Madison, said the size and location of the property will greatly benefit those that seek its services.
“Homeless people and advocates have shown up time and time again to push for this,” Haukeness said.
Haukness described the purchase of the property as a “step forward in making the day center a reality.”
Although the center will be located on a bus line and a bike path, it is located two miles from downtown, a long walk from the multiple night shelters operating in the area. Haukeness stressed the need for transportation, including free van services and bus rides for individuals and families to access the day center.
The details of construction have not yet been released, but Haukeness hopes part of the center can open up temporarily to provide services this winter.
