CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville City Council voted to approve the purchase of a $6.2 million facility to serve as a low-barrier homeless shelter during Monday’s meeting.
Council voted unanimously to transfer the money from the from the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the purchase of the 27,000 square-foot office building, the vote didn’t come without concerns by some of the people who spoke during public comment.
“We know that we need a low-barrier shelter. Everybody agrees with that,” city councilor Lloyd Snook said during an appearance on WINA Morning News on Tuesday. “The question has been, ‘Where? … This site came available as we’ve been looking for basically any site that would help us solve the problem.”
Snook noted that, in addition to the building, the property includes a vacant lot that could be used for outdoor recreation for shelter residents or for a small secondary building.
Snook said the thought of using the Salvation Army thrift store site on Cherry Avenue wasn’t feasible because “it wasn’t large enough to solve the problem.”
Snook estimated an unhoused population of about 250 people in the city. He said the city has eyed the property for a number of years.
“It’s not going to be without challenges,” Snook said. “It’s a little out of the way. It’s a little bit difficult for folks to get to. But, on the other hand, there are two bus lines that have a bus stop right at the end of the street, where Holiday Drive meets Route 29. So, there are a lot of reasons why we think we can make it work and we’re going to give it a try.”
Angela Spathos, who owns and operates the Aberdeen Steak House, said she fully supports the city’s goals of helping those in need and addressing homelessness, but believes the building on 2000 Holiday Drive is not the right location.
“By placing a shelter at the end of a dead-end street, you would you be directing shelter residents directly past our entrances and through our parking areas,” she said. “This raises serious concerns about safety, especially after dark, for the comfort of our guests and employees. Hospitality depends on creating an environment where guests feel welcome and safe. If that sense of safety is compromised, in will inevitably impact our ability to attract, retain customers, and sustain our businesses.”
Several jeered her comments and were quietly reminded by Mayor Jaundiego Wade that they were not to interrupt.
Wendy Gao of the Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) said complaints from some business owners shows the city’s history of putting profit over people.
“You will keep continuing to prioritize billion-dollar developments that generate stomach-churning amounts of profit,” she said. “I mean, UVA literally made $3 trillion off of net hospital collections. That is insane.”
The building must pass inspections before a deal can be negotiated, but the city hopes to close the deal by Nov. 20.
Snook said the decision to buy the property does not commit the city to building a low-barrier shelter at the site.
“I think it’s highly likely that that’s going to be the best use we can find for it,” Snook said.
