Three finalists have been named in the search for facilitators of the city’s comprehensive program for unhoused residents
Birmingham, AL – The City of Birmingham has named three finalists in the search for facilitators of the Home For All safe sleep pilot program for its chronically unhoused residents. After a nationwide call for proposals, AIDS Alabama, Faith Chapel Care Center, and Urban Alchemy were selected. Their proposed projects will now be examined closer by the city, its stakeholders, and the community in deciding if one – or all – would best manage the city’s planned community of micro-shelters that include special wraparound services.
“These organizations have a stellar track record of supporting communities in need,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “As we prepare to build this community of support for our unhoused residents, we are thrilled to be one step closer.”
In January, the city approved a $1 million bid for the purchase of micro-shelters that will be built by Pallet Shelter and assembled on a dedicated site for safe sleep, shelter, and support. The Department of Community Development then congregated a committee of community stakeholders to create a Request For Proposals for an organization to lead and house the program’s site. The collective held weekly meetings, made site visits, and also selected an architect and engineer to lead the design process.
“The conversation has been around what is the right site and what is the right size for our community,” said Dr. Meghan Venable-Thomas, director of Community Development. “It is also critically important that we prioritize making the design of the space feel healing and supportive. Every opportunity to build is an opportunity to heal. We are building to heal.”
Candidates were scored on a number of things, including experience, design, and operations, completed project value, project timeline, and exemplary performance. The finalists had the highest overall scores of the applicant pool.
AIDS Alabama, which is located in Ensley, proposes to be the site for 15-25 micro-shelters. They are a recognized leader in affordable housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. Some of the city’s most chronically unsheltered are at the intersection of multiple challenges, one of which includes being affected by the disease. Currently, the organization manages more than 100 units across the state.
Faith Chapel Care Center, which is located downtown, proposes to be the site for 10-15 micro-shelters. They are currently a hub for people experiencing homelessness. They provide ministry, limited medical services, free showers and laundry services as well as a computer room and referral services. They are leveraging multiple service providers that may not have collaborated in the past to provide wraparound services.
Urban Alchemy, which is based in San Francisco, Calif., proposes to select up to two sites for a combined 30-60 micro-shelters. They are a social enterprise nonprofit that provides career pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals. Their vision is to create a “Healing Village” housing model that includes an intentionally designed site and landscaping that creates a peaceful, safe environment for the residents, a service rich program model with care coordination. Currently, they provide services across the country.
Community meetings and some client interviews for the Home For All program have begun. Next, surveying and community outreach will take place. The goal is to identify multi-stakeholders (neighbors, guests, and potential clients as well as service providers) and do targeted communications to learn what they want to see on the individual sites.
Both AIDS Alabama and Faith Chapel Care Center propose a move-in date by the end of summer 2024. Urban Alchemy has a more comprehensive timeline, which would include finding up to two sites. They propose a move-in date closer to early 2025.
“We get one chance to do it right,” Woodfin said. “This is a unique model that if we roll out too fast or too haphazardly we don’t get a do over. We plan to take our time so that our unhoused residents will get the very best. They deserve it.”
For more information, go to birminghamal.gov/homeforall.
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Home For All Request For Proposal (RFP) form located here
Link for RFP information sessions: here
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City to propose a safe sleep pilot program before council next week
Birmingham, AL – The City of Birmingham will propose a safe sleep pilot program before the city council on Tuesday, Jan. 10. The goal is to provide safe sleeping alternatives for the city’s chronically unhoused residents through the purchase of micro-shelters. The pilot, named Home for All, will be a community-wide partnership in service that will include dignified Pallet sleeping units and a number of wraparound services.
“Our residents who are experiencing homelessness deserve to safely sleep in peace and with dignity,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “We want to provide that for them, but also take it a step further by offering resources that give them the option for a transition into permanent housing.”
If approved, the City would work with Pallet Shelter, the leader in rapid response shelter villages. The organization has built shelter communities for individuals experiencing home
lessness across the country, including in Fayetteville, Ark.; Dallas, Tx; Fresno, Calif.; and Tacoma, Wash. They have constructed 1,764 sleeping units among 63 shelter communities with more than 4,000 people served. Pallet Shelter would help to create private, lockable sleeping units that feature a heating and cooling system and desk. These micro-shelters would be congregated in safe, private communities. Each can be assembled in under an hour and at a fraction of the cost of traditional homeless shelters.
This pilot would provide additional resources for people who either sleep in shelters or on Birmingham’s streets each night. It addresses an immediate need for shelter based on recommendations from members of the city’s unhoused community and service providers. It also allows organizers to engage, assess and learn about the needs of the unhoused for plans to create transitional and permanent supportive housing in the future.
Upon council approval of the purchase of up to 100 sleeping units, the City will launch a Request For Proposals (RFP) for site selection and partners for this pilot. They are seeking public service providers, nonprofits and institutions interested in piloting a capacity building program to support chronically unhoused with non-congregant housing and wrap around services necessary to create sustainable life options. For more information, go to birminghamal.gov/homeforall.
Home for All is just one part of the City’s overall vision to create home options for all Birmingham residents. There are several affordable home development projects in the works across the city, from Shadowbrook to Woodlawn as well as programs for down payment assistance, lead abatement and critical repairs. Specifically related to Birmingham’s unhous
ed population, the City previously supported construction of a new Firehouse Shelter facility with $1 million, and AIDS Alabama Way Station facility for youth with $1.3 million. Each year the Department of Community Development provides more than $800,000 in federal grants to support emergency shelter and public service providers who assist individuals experiencing homelessness. The City has also partnered with Jimmie Hale Mission and other community providers to open a warming station in order to increase bed space for those needing a warm place to stay during sub-freezing weather.
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