The shelter was formally opened on March 5 in ceremonies attended by County Executive Marc Elrich, County Councilmembers, County Department of General Services (DGS) Director David Dise, County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director Raymond Crowel and representatives from the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. Photos from the event can be viewed here.
Although emergency shelter does not end homelessness, the expansion of year-round beds and the new facility ensure that people do not have to sleep outside and can rapidly connect to housing resources. It is expected that the shelter will serve 800-1,000 men annually.
The Nebel Street facility is a critical component of the County’s homeless programs that will provide emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness and will provide greater associated services, including primary care, behavioral health and employment services.
“This new space will provide shelter and services to the County's residents for years to come,” said DHHS Director Crowel. “Our goal is to prevent homelessness, but when it does happen, this will be a safe and supportive space where people can get help in finding a new home.”
The County Department of General Services purchased the two-story building to provide sleeping quarters, meals and medical and case management services. The 32,000 square-foot building was renovated from commercial office use to a homeless shelter with 200 beds and sleeping and living areas. The estimated project cost was $17.1 million.
“The Nebel Street Shelter project is among the best examples of interagency and inter-department cooperation you can hope to see,” said DGS Director Dise. “Every part of County government, public utilities and agencies stepped up to make a project that would typically take 12 months, completed in half that time. This demonstrates the best in public service, as well as Montgomery County’s commitment to serve the homeless among us. Special thanks to the DGS team that lead the way.”
The facility will enable the County to implement its new emergency shelter policy so individuals have a temporary place until they are connected to permanent housing. The facility will be operated by the County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH), one of the County’s nonprofit partners. MCCH has been providing homeless services in the community for more than 30 years.
“The new Nebel Street shelter will accelerate MCCH’s partnership with the County, providing emergency shelter with supportive services to meet the urgent needs of men experiencing homelessness and return them to stable housing as quickly as possible,” said Susie Sinclair-Smith, CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless.
For more information on the project, visit the DGS website.
