House of Charities relocates 24/7 shelter

Catholic Charities has proposed to the City of Spokane and Spokane County a way to help address homelessness for single adults called House of Charity 2.0 (HOC 2.0). It relocates House of Charity and builds a new state-of-the-art facility for a larger low-barrier shelter outside the downtown core.

It would expand 24/7 shelter services to men and women and support vulnerable people in a facility on a site already secured outside downtown.

The idea is to create a new comprehensive homeless shelter solution in a new location, not related to the city's proposed shelter on Trent Ave.

The HOC 2.0 project has been in discussion with the City of Spokane since November 2021.

The project continues Catholic Charities' principles of more than 50 years: "Every person is made in the image and likeness of God and demands basic dignity, respect and compassion. Anyone experiencing homelessness should be able to eat, sleep and go to the bathroom indoors in a safe, welcoming space. The space should include behavioral health services people need to stabilize their lives and so they can be placed on a path to permanent supportive housing," said Sarah Yerden, director of marketing and communication.

HOC 2.0 will offer models for people to move on the stability continuum and will have a potential capacity up to 250 to 300 people, depending on the identified community need and architectural design.

While HOC 2.0 will be low-barrier, clients ready to move forward will have access to other services, including mental health counseling and care, substance abuse counseling, medical respite, permanent housing services, vocational training, case management and peer support counseling on-site with 24/7 security that patrols half a mile around the area.

HOC 2.0 will have apartment-style suites for specialized hospice care for homeless people for end-of-life journeys.

Catholic Charities will work with the city and transportation providers to set transportation routes for clients to access services, including transportation to and from hospitals to ensure vulnerable, medically fragile patrons can access medical care.

The House of Charity (HOC) facility at 32 W. Pacific Ave. will remain in its current location. It will continue to provide support services to Catholic Charities clients and nearby housing residents with opportunities to meet community needs.

It will no longer sleep or feed people experiencing homelessness. The first floor will be used for staff to assist permanent supportive housing units in the area.

The upstairs sleeping space may be contracted for more shelter space by emergency management groups during inclement weather, fire/smoke season and future contagious disease events.

It could be activated as needed by emergency management groups, as a medical isolation and quarantine space, in a pandemic or norovirus outbreaks.

For information, call 438-1198 or email sarah.yerden@cceasternwa.org.