Tompkins County is planning for the design and construction of an accessible, safe, and inclusive emergency shelter to house approximately 100 adults experiencing homelessness in the community. On Thursday July 18, Tompkins County issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) from development partners to design and develop the emergency shelter. Interested vendors are encouraged to visit bidnet direct for more information.
According to the most recent available data, the local Homelessness Response System, supported by Tompkins County, provided shelter to an average of 132 individuals per day between October 2022 to September 2023. More information on homelessness in Tompkins County and plans to address housing needs can be found in a 2022 needs assessment and the 2023 Home Together: Tompkins Plan from the Continuum of Care, which was unanimously accepted by the Tompkins County Legislature.
The successful developer identified through the RFQ process will work closely with Tompkins County to ensure that the shelter is designed and built to meet the specific needs of the community while complying with all relevant regulations and building codes. The developer will pursue funding for the project from outside sources and agencies including New York State programs.
Tompkins County is currently in the process of identifying and securing a location for the shelter in the City of Ithaca.
The RFQ describes the project goal of constructing a NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)-certified facility that will operate 365 days a year to serve up to 100 individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. The facility will serve as a centralized hub for area service providers, providing access to direct services without the need for transportation to other facilities. The facility will also incorporate features to enhance security and provide safety for residents, staff, and the surrounding community.
This search for a shelter developer is in addition to requests for proposals (RFPs) to be issued regarding the operations of the current emergency shelter system. RFPs for both the existing Code Blue and Temporary Housing Assistance emergency sheltering programs are periodically issued by the Tompkins County Department of Social Services can also be found on the bidnet direct website when published.
Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature Dan Klein stated, “Tompkins County is ready to invest in a bigger, better shelter with more beds and increased access to government and not-for-profit services for the people we serve. The development of emergency shelter beds is one critical step toward addressing homelessness. I continue to believe that it will take an ongoing coordinated effort on the part of our entire community to help and house people in need. This RFQ is a statement of our sincere commitment to addressing unsheltered homelessness in our community. Right now, we are in the process of identifying a location for the shelter. Having a qualified developer will help make the vision of purpose-built shelter a reality.”