Shelter System Updates - Use of Motel Partners and Shelter Hours

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Tompkins County is sharing shelter system updates for Warming Center Services, Code Blue Emergency Shelter, and Temporary Housing Assistance.

Because additional options for ongoing shelter operations have become available, Tompkins County has elected not to declare a State of Emergency at this time.

Tompkins County is directing anyone in need of shelter or experiencing other emergent needs to access the Department of Social Services at 320 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Ithaca, NY, or by calling (607) 274-5348 during the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. Additional programming access hours and information are detailed below.

Wintertime Warming Center Services and Code Blue Emergency Shelter

The congregate Code Blue shelter planned for the former Key Bank building on North Tioga Street continues to be on track to open for clients in early November. Once the building opens, anyone looking to access Code Blue shelter should access the Department of Social Services during business hours if they are able or arrive at the Code Blue building between the hours of 7:00pm-10:00pm to complete an intake process. Code Blue shelter will be offered from 7:00pm-7:00am. When the facility is not operating, clients will be asked to utilize other community facilities for warmth, including the Human Services Building Lobby at 320 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Ithaca.

Warming center services will be available in the Code Blue shelter during the hours of 4:00pm-7:00pm, offering a warm place for clients to be in inclement weather. The warming center will be open all day on weekends and holidays. Clients may access both warming center services and Code Blue shelter.

Temporary Housing Assistance

Tompkins County is negotiating contracts with local motel partners for sheltering individuals under the Temporary Housing Assistance (THA) program offered through the Department of Social Services. THA beds are anticipated to be available by mid-November to serve clients currently housed in the shelter that will be ceasing operations at 618 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Ithaca. Tompkins County is working to expand THA program capacity with the use of motel contracts.

Tompkins County plans to operate the program utilizing motel rooms. Tompkins County will seek a third-party provider to manage the program once it is operational.

Tompkins County Administrator Lisa Holmes addressed the availability of motel rooms, stating "We are grateful to have these motel rooms available for THA shelter beds. This is a new development, and we are confident that we will be able to move forward on the aggressive timeline of making beds available by mid-November. THA is an important program because it provides people with shelter and other social supports to get back on their feet. This development comes at a time when we are also standing up Code Blue shelter operations, which serves people during the cold winter months in emergency situations when they are unable to access THA shelter. Thank you to local human services agencies and community partners for your patience as we adapt the entire local shelter system as the situation has changed drastically."

Holmes spoke about the County's current efforts, "We are meeting daily to mobilize the resources we have available and delegate tasks and responsibilities to County staff working on both shelters while continuing our regular duties. We are committed to providing regular updates as the situation changes. There has also been an outpouring of community support to further assist people in need, as we develop a better understanding of everything that is needed from the community, we will communicate that to partners and the public more broadly."