Hazel’s House of Hope shelter operating at reduced capacity; director seeks funding to reopen beds and add overflow space

Summary

Catholic Charities’ Grace Shelter told Monongalia County commissioners that fire-marshall limits reduced Hazel’s House of Hope capacity from 28 to 19 beds; staff say they can add 15 overnight beds in the sobering center if funding is available. Commissioners discussed regional demand and funding limits but took no formal action.

Catholic Charities’ Grace Shelter Director Jessica Thompson told the Monongalia County Commission on June 4 that Hazel’s House of Hope has seen its licensed capacity reduced from 28 beds to 19 after a square-footage re-calculation by the fire marshal, and that the agency is seeking funds to add up to 15 overnight beds in the facility’s sobering-center space.

Thompson said the shelter has served 24 people so far this year, 12 of them veterans, and that the program has historically placed 35 people into permanent supportive housing. “We are an overflow shelter for the veterans,” Thompson said. She added that about 50% of the shelter’s clients have been from Monongalia County and that stays are limited to 45 days but can be extended up to six months for participants engaged in services.

The shelter’s reduced capacity is a fire-safety…

Hazel’s House of Hope shelter operating at reduced capacity; director seeks funding to reopen beds and add overflow space

Summary

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