News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Homeless of McMinnville Effort is moving forward with its transitional housing project.
The organization known as HOME met with the city’s Building and Grounds Committee and Streets and Sanitation Committee Tuesday. Co-Founder Sheila Fann said the meeting ended with the city approving the layout of the community at 946 Sunset Point Road.
“The goal is transitional housing for the homeless community,” Fann said. “Those that are truly living in cars, under bridges, city parks, fields, woods. Those type things to bridge the gap between the streets and homes. A place where they will be taught financial management, obtain IDs, jobs and ministries.”
Fann said with the plans approved, the organization looks to to begin the project in phases. Fann said work will start out with four units and a community center.
“There is a couple of churches that have stepped forward, and they are going to build our first tiny home,” Fann said. “Central Church of Christ has stepped forward, and they are going to build our first model. Then, I think Westwood is going to build one. We have some other churches in the area express interest. HOME as an organization is going to do a couple. We have the plans ready for those.”
However, one question that needs to be answered is if HOME will lease the land or if the city will donate the land. Fann said the organization is fully prepared for either situation and anticipates the City Council to vote on the decision next month.
“Most of the hoops are completed,” Fann said. “It’s just the final vote, which we think is the second Tuesday in June. The plot was agreed upon. It has been perced. That was one of the hurdles we needed to ensure everything would be find. The soil scientist has come back with the green light, so we expect no issues now.”
Fann said the final number of homes is unknown at this point, but the land has enough room for 20 to 40 units. Fann said the project is a definite need in Warren County with the organization seeing an increase in homelessness over the past year.
“We are probably approaching around 260 people that we have assisted in some way,” Fann said. “We expect that number to only grow and that has just been since January 1st and that is just in Warren County. We are here to bridge the gap, and the main thing is to get them off the street.”
Fann said she expects the first phase to be completed this fall.
