The Dane County Board of Supervisors approved a $1.4 million purchase for a downtown homeless resource center Friday.
The purchase, approved with a 30-4 vote, allocates four properties on the 1300 block of East Washington Avenue for the center, which will provide storage space, laundry facilities and meals for homeless individuals.
“A permanent site for a day shelter and resource center is vital to get services to individuals and families struggling with homelessness,” Dane County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan, District 26, said in a Friday statement. “This purchase allows us to move forward on that commitment.”
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi initially announced plans for the center in September.
Many people spoke out against the purchase, saying its location in the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood could affect nearby schools and businesses. However, Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner, District 2, who represents the neighborhood, voted for the purchase.
“I’m going to fight for the neighborhood’s concerns, and I’m going to fight for quality services at the day resource center,” Wegleitner said in a Friday statement. “I’m going to continue to fight for affordable permanent housing.”
Construction is slated for the spring, with the resource center opening in October 2016.
