Cincinnati's plans for $5.5M homeless center fall through. What's next

Cincinnati's plans for $5.5M homeless center fall through. What's next

Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer

Mon, December 1, 2025 at 5:15 AM UTC

3 min read

Temporary day centers serve people that need access to shelter, food and heat during extreme winter weather. Cincinnati officials plan to open a year-round, permanent one by winter 2027.

Cincinnati officials are pushing back plans to build a year-round day center for the city's homeless population.

After allocating $5.5 million for the project − which was meant to go toward buying and renovating a specific property in Queensgate – the city announced the Downtown-adjacent location is no longer feasible.

The building at 760 W. Fifth St. is currently owned by the Cincinnati Museum Center, and the organization won't be moving out of the facility "within the city's planned timing for construction and opening," according to a press release.

“Though the site for the daytime one-stop center has not been selected, we are committed to moving forward with this valuable, permanent resource for our unhoused community. It will provide needed safe space for individuals while also connecting them with critical resources,” City Manager Sheryl Long said in the press release.

The Enquirer previously reported the Museum Center is consolidating three of its off-site storage facilities, including the Fifth Street one, into the new Vontz Family Education, Research and Collections Center at 1518 Dalton Ave. in Queensgate. Construction on that isn't set to wrap until late 2027, however.

City spokesperson Mollie Lair told The Enquirer officials wanted to open the day center well before then, but choosing another site will extend the timeline.

The city's goal is to continue searching for another site to open by winter 2027, she said. A request for proposals will soon be issued for a day center operator.

Could this solve Downtown homelessness? As Cincinnati's homeless population increases, the city eyes $5.5M plan for daytime center

Day center to no longer be built behind Shelterhouse

The West Fifth Street property that was eyed by the city is situated directly north of Shelterhouse's David & Rebecca Barron Center for Men, which opened in 2015.

The day center was supposed to be an additional place where unhoused people could take shelter during extreme weather, connect to services for housing, employment or health care or access the internet.

That's still the idea, per the city's press release, but it's not clear whether the new day center will be located near another homeless shelter or service organization in and around Downtown. In July, Long told The Enquirer the city was prioritizing proximity to Shelterhouse.

A feasibility study is currently underway to determine the cost of the project and the operating budget. Shelterhouse director Arlene Nolan added that finding a day center operator was another big hurdle to the plan.

"Until they find a location, I'm not sure which comes first, an operator or a location," she said. "And not only that, were do the operating dollars come from?"

City and St. Francis Seraph Ministries will provide shelter in extreme weather

As the city sorts out where the new day center will go, it will continue operating a daytime shelter for extreme winter weather events.

This year, St. Francis Seraph Ministries will host the shelter at the St. Anthony Center at 1615 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine.

The temporary shelter was previously located at the Over-the-Rhine Recreation Center, but that site is currently under construction as Crossroad Health Center's new community campus.

Cincinnatians will be alerted by the city manager's office when the shelter is open. According to a press release, that will be when daytime temperatures are below 15 degrees or when there is substantial snow or ice.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati's plan to build $5.5M homeless day center fall through

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