Human Services Campus to Provide Shelter & Services for Homeless
Mayor Jean Stothert, Planning Director James Thele and Siena Francis House Executive Director Mike Saklar announced plans Wednesday for a Human Services Campus. The plans include a new, larger emergency shelter, a much-needed day shelter and services to help homeless men, women and families.
The campus will be developed north of Nicholas Street, between 16th and 18th, expanding the current location of the Siena Francis House. Recently, the City completed the purchase of Triple A Welders near 18th and Nicholas. (Skylar) already has commitments for $2.3 million from three donors to pay for the purchase and cleanup of the junkyard on the east side of the campus.
Thanks for finding this map Jacob!
I guess the 'junkyard to the east' is really the foreign auto parts store.
By looking at this, I wonder if they will treat 16th street as the 'back wall' of the complex, so there would be no pedestrian traffic flowing that direction, which would alleviate some concerns of their neighbors, but how they control that flow will be interesting. It looks like the main entrance / Front Door will be at 17th & Nicholas.
RNcyanide wrote:The obvious that they have to go somewhere and that this operation was here first.
I don't think anyone would argue that. They have every right to be there and I'm glad to see they're expanding. However, I think it will scare many people away from Nichol Flats and hamper nearby residential development. In an area that so many want to see succeed it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
RNcyanide wrote:The obvious that they have to go somewhere and that this operation was here first.
I don't think anyone would argue that. They have every right to be there and I'm glad to see they're expanding. However, I think it will scare many people away from Nichol Flats and hamper nearby residential development. In an area that so many want to see succeed it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
I had to go here for school last semester. This place is pretty well tucked away, but I'm not sure where the flats will be in relation to this place.
When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you're doing his will.
It's so odd that this vacant building that has been standing around minding it's own business would catch on fire just as they began excavating the area around it. It is even shown pre-fire in the OWH article. Poltergeists?
Last edited by U R my Helix on Thu Feb 25, 2016 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
U R my Helix wrote:It's so odd that this vacant building that has been standing around minding it's own business would catch on fire just as they began excavating the area around it. It is even shown pre-fire in the OWH article.
If people can just erupt into flames at a moment's notice, why not buildings?
When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you're doing his will.
Here is another update for a NEDO-ish project. Apparently, they are underway for their expansion. Not one of the 'sexy' projects happening downtown, or even Omaha in general, but a good resource for those who are in need.
Construction is underway on a new shelter for homeless people at Siena-Francis House in north downtown Omaha.
Crews have completed soil remediation on the site, a former salvage yard northwest of 16th and Nicholas Streets. Now they’re moving on to foundation work on a shelter that will have beds for 350 men and up to 100 women, plus kitchen, dining, counseling, case management and common areas.
The new shelter will offer services in the daytime as well. Siena-Francis had already changed its policy of telling people that they had to leave the campus during the day.
The organization’s current shelters routinely operate over capacity. They have 220 beds for men and 40 for women, but Siena-Francis houses 325 to 350 men and 55 to 60 women per day, officials said.
“We hope to be in the building by December of 2019,” said Linda Twomey, executive director of Siena-Francis. “We’re so excited. It’s so desperately needed.”
I don't know what the exact arrangement will be, but Arch Icon is proposing a development called the Cottages near the Siena Francis campus. The address is 1528 N 16th Street, across the street from Arden Mills. The proposal calls for 50 tiny homes (all under 400 sq. st.) to serve as transition housing from the Siena Francis house.
A village of 50 stand-alone dwellings, each about the size of a small hotel room, is poised to rise on two acres of mostly industrial property in north downtown.
Arch Icon Development and Siena Francis House describe their joint project northwest of 16th and Charles Streets, The Cottages, as the next step toward independence for folks who have been thriving in other homeless shelter programs.
Each tiny house would be rented, and will include a kitchen, bedroom, living area and covered porch. They will be part of a gated neighborhood featuring a community center with common laundry and bike storage rooms, a business hub and offices for on-site managers.
Coyote wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:32 pm
The Cottages goes before the city council next week.
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I wish they would find a way to offer these with home ownership which would do a better job of reducing homelessness. This has worked well in cities such as Detroit.
Nebraska’s first modern-day tiny house village — soon to start sprouting in north downtown Omaha — is expected to do more than add affordable-rent dwellings to the trendy urban core.
The 50 stand-alone homes, each about 250 square feet, serve a humanitarian purpose: They’re to be occupied by former homeless people who have thrived in other shelter programs and who are ready to take the next step toward independence.
In addition, the $8.2 million project provides a training ground for students: Seven of the houses are being built by budding construction trades workers enrolled at Metropolitan Community College.
“We’re just really excited,” said Linda Twomey of the Siena Francis House, which will manage and own the residential development. “It’s innovative. It’s a huge neighborhood improvement. It’s going to provide a home — a place to grill out, to have plants and a dog.”
In the planning stages since 2018, “the Cottages” initiative officially breaks ground next week at a 2.4-acre former industrial site near 17th and Charles Streets.
Coyote wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:32 pm
The Cottages goes before the city council next week.
image.jpeg
I wish they would find a way to offer these with home ownership which would do a better job of reducing homelessness. This has worked well in cities such as Detroit.
My understanding of how this works, I am 100% ok with the current model.
Work up to being able to stably afford very low rent units, and then once that's OK, take the solid financial life to rent / buy something where the tenant wants to live.
I'm also all for housing first, but I don't know how you'd do something like this without creating a huge swath of Public Housing 2.0 that sprawls generations.
The Cottages is a new neighborhood development with 50 houses created by the Siena Francis House. The homes will soon be available to those who have experienced chronic homelessness and have a disability. Someone who fits that criteria is Keith Neil. "Well I've lost a job I had a number of years ago, got evicted from my apartment, I was on the streets for a while — I didn't know of some of the services that were offered in town. I had no idea," said Neil.
Coyote wrote: ↑Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:30 am
The Cottages is a new neighborhood development with 50 houses created by the Siena Francis House. The homes will soon be available to those who have experienced chronic homelessness and have a disability. Someone who fits that criteria is Keith Neil. "Well I've lost a job I had a number of years ago, got evicted from my apartment, I was on the streets for a while — I didn't know of some of the services that were offered in town. I had no idea," said Neil.
I was just wondering how these were coming along. IIRC they're a few months late, but I'm glad they're about to be up and going. Should have a big positive impact.