Committee On Temporary Shelter

In the 2024 fiscal year, cots helped 112 households experiencing financial crisis avert homelessness and stay in their housing or move into stable housing. The housing resource center offers assistance to prevent at-risk households from losing their existing housing due to unforeseen circumstances and to assist those who are without permanent shelter move into stable housing. Longstanding relationships with a network of local landlords helps to facilitate successful client transitions into private and public housing. The hrc offers grants with rent and security deposits.

In the 2024 fiscal year, 142 individuals stayed in cots' overnight shelters, and 1603 individuals visited the daystation. Emergency shelter for single adults: the waystation (opened in 1982) is a 36-bed overnight shelter for men and women, age 18 and older. The daystation (opened in 1988) is a daytime drop-in center offering refuge from the streets, where a noontime meal is served. These facilities are open 365 days a year.

Motel outreach: 242 homeless households were offered support services while statying in state-funding emergency motel rooms. Support services: one-on-one support services are offered to all of cots' clients. 60 homeless families, including those staying in emergency shelter or in the community, received support from cots staff. 154 single, homeless adults received outreach and support from cots staff. Transitional and permanent housing: the smith house (opened in 2002)provides individuals moving out of shelter with transitional housing. The smith house has seven single-room occupancy units, plus two permanent apartments, and a full-time residential manager. Canal street veterans housing (opened in 2011) provides 29 units of permanent, affordable housing with priority placement for veterans and their families. The wilson (purchased in 1984) and st. John's hall (purchased in 1991) together provide 44 single-room occupancy (sro) units and four apartments: permanent housing for formerly homeless individuals, as well as low-income senior citizens and veterans.