JAMESTOWN, NY (WKBW) — Jamestown has been struggling for years to find a solution to the growing problem of homelessness, but on Thursday there was good news from the city, that a major donation will allow it to build a new shelter.
Jamestown Business College is donating this historic building on Fairmount Avenue to UCAN City Mission in Jamestown and the Saint Susan Center. Local leaders say the plan is to turn the location into another homeless shelter.
Plans include turning the first floor into a dining room and full kitchen. The lower level will have staff accommodations and a pantry to serve more people. We're told renovations are expected to begin in March.
7 News has done extensive reporting on Jamestown homelessness which leaders have called a "crisis" over the last two years.
In July it hit a tipping point when the city declared a State of Emergency due to the issue.
The city said encampments were "creating severe impacts on public health, safety, and city resources," and highlighted a list of issues. You can watch our previous report below and read more here.
By declaring a State of Emergency, the city hoped to access additional funding and resources to address hundreds of people living on the streets and in abandoned buildings.
In August, Jamestown was continuing to clear out and clean up several homeless encampments.
The people being moved told 7 News they weren't getting enough assistance finding a permanent home. You can watch our previous report below and read more here.
We also followed up with city leaders, as they held a meeting to talk about what they were doing to address the homeless population.
Josiah Lamp with the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition and Mayor Kim Ecklund said they were optimistic that if they kept working together they would be able to help those experiencing homelessness. You can watch our previous report below and read more here.
We returned to Jamestown on Thursday to speak with local leaders about what the donation means.
“At one point in my life, I was homeless, and my husband was as well," Kate Nutting, a caseworker at UCAN City Mission in Jamestown said.
Nutting said she's thankful she and her husband eventually found their way off the streets.
“We met. It brought us together and we’ve been able to give our kids a better life than we had,” reflected Nutting. “Some of the services that we offer here are life skills. I help them manage their appointments, doctors’ appointments, mental health, social service appointments."
UCAN Executive Director Bruce Baehr told me he wants men experiencing homelessness to know they are there to help.
When you walk in the shelter one of the first things you see is this "Keys of Hope” billboard featuring pictures of men who were once homeless but found their way to success.
He said he came out of retirement to help the Jamestown community deal with its homeless crisis and he's grateful for some good news this week.
“There is a need for more space," Baehr said. "Jamestown presently has this shelter which we have 19 beds.”
Baehr also said the board has been asked to consider doing a woman and children's shelter.
Josiah Lamp with the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition has also been working hard to help the homeless.
"I think there’s certainly mental health conditions that are unmet in our community and that's really the challenge," said Lamp.
Lamp also addressed how things have gone since the State of Emergency was declared.
“We've had a lot of opportunity to do outreach we have outreach teams going out regularly to the people who are on the street homeless," said Lamp.
Lamp said they are preparing to open the Code Blue shelter in November and working on another women's shelter in Jamestown to house the hundreds living on the streets.
“It's a complex issue. We're going through an affordable housing crisis. It's very difficult to house people when rents are so high," said Lamp.
While Thursday’s news about the building donation is a step in the right direction leaders say there's a lot of work to be done.
