ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Volunteers of America Upstate New York (VOA) will run Tompkins County’s cold-weather homeless shelter.
On October 7, county lawmakers unanimously approved a contract with the Rochester-based nonprofit for this winter’s Code Blue operations on Cherry Street in Ithaca.
VOA is also helping the county develop plans for its year-round dedicated shelter, also at the Cherry Street location. The existing building on the site, where Found Antiques currently resides, will be adapted for use this winter. The dedicated shelter project will eventually see the construction of a new facility.
Last year, the county was forced to run the Code Blue shelter after former service provider Saint John’s Community Services shut down. The abrupt departure sent the county into a frenzy to get the site, then at the Key Bank building on North Tioga Street, ready in time for the season’s first freezing temperatures.
Legislator Travis Brooks says this year’s arrangement will be beneficial not only to the unhoused population but also to county departments and community partners.
Brooks acknowledged this year’s accelerated planning process due to a late pivot away from a planned collaboration with the City of Ithaca at the former Burger King off Elmira Road. That plan was ultimately scrapped after officials expressed concern with renovating the building and getting the proper authorizations in time for the cold weather. Tompkins County has already seen the temperature dip below freezing.
Brooks and others expressed a desire to request bids for Code Blue operations next year to give every community agency a chance to run the shelter, even if the county ultimately renews its contract with VOA. You can watch the entire Tompkins County Legislature meeting here.
County staff will ramp up construction work at the Cherry Street site after Found Antiques completes the move to its new location at Ithaca Southworks on October 27.
