City staff and Providence House representatives told the council that a two‑year, $400,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies would support construction of modular housing intended to increase capacity for homeless families at Providence House’s downtown site.

A city official described the project as removing a roughly 10,000‑square‑foot warehouse behind a nearby building and constructing family housing on that property. “This modular housing is actually gonna be for homelessness,” the Providence House representative said. The plan would allow Providence House to expand from roughly 80 people served to about 160 people.

City staff said the Bloomberg grant is an initial funding piece; the full project cost is “about a $3,000,000 project,” and Providence House is responsible for raising the remainder through private fundraising and other sources. The city will enter a cooperative endeavor agreement with Providence House, officials said, and Providence House will manage construction and additional fundraising.

Council members asked for location and implementation details. Staff said the new units will be built on Providence House’s existing property “right behind a 14 cotton” (a large green warehouse behind the old fire station area, as described at the meeting). When asked how the additional money would be obtained, the staff representative said Providence House would fundraise and allocate existing resources toward the project.

Councilman Bowman and others suggested the modular approach could be piloted at other sites, including near the VA hospital, if fundraising and implementation prove successful. No ordinance or appropriation was adopted at the meeting; councilmembers noted the project will require additional funding commitments and follow-up agreements.

Speakers emphasized the project targets families experiencing homelessness, not single-occupancy units, and framed the effort as a public-private partnership intended to replace an aging shelter building and increase capacity.