RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond City leaders gave an update on a proposed around-the-clock inclement weather shelter for the homeless in the city this week.
The presentation shared at Thursday's special city council meeting focused on Phase 1 of their plan which is to provide at least 150 beds for the homeless.
The Department of Housing and Community Development said Phase 1 funding would provide 60 beds at the first facility and would be run and operated by Commonwealth Catholic Charities (CCC).
"We have concerns about making sure that people are able to access a site that has a bed for them, we're concerned about making sure that people have the ability to get to the site," Jay Brown, the CEO of CCC, said.
CBS 6 spoke with CCC on Friday who said they were surprised by many of the details that were shared at Thursday's meeting. They said the proposal they submitted varies significantly from the one presented by the city.
"We originally came forward with a proposal to have one site to provide sufficient space for anyone who would need the service. We can also make sure that we can add additional services," Brown said.
As a partner in the project, they say that very little dialogue has happened between them and Richmond on details of the shelter's operation.
"The proposal that we submitted is not the proposal that was presented yesterday, publicly, we've been asked to amend the service that we propose to provide," Brown said.
CCC said the proposed start date of November 15 given will likely not happen even if it is approved on November 7.
"I was asked yesterday morning by the city whether or not we could have the facility opened by November 15. Shouldn't the ordinance be approved on November 7? I presented for reasons why that was. That's highly unlikely," Brown said.
CCC said they want to provide the most efficient facility as quickly as possible for Richmond's most vulnerable citizens but they feel more conversations need to happen between them, the city and all involved parties.
"I mean, to have a place for people to go every single night, make sure that they can get outside of the cold, have access to support and resources," Brown said. "We're just asking that we have the opportunity to sit down at the table with all parties, the city and with the other providers with the Greater Richmond continuum of care so that we all can really hammer out the details of how this is going to work."
CBS 6 reached out to the City of Richmond on Friday afternoon. On Monday morning, CCC reached out to CBS 6 stating following Friday's story, Richmond City invited all of the proposed shelter providers to a coordinating meeting this week.
