Fayetteville program aims to prevent homelessness after local shelter closes

Following the closure of a Salvation Army shelter in April, local leaders in the Fayetteville area are hoping to combat homelessness with short-term financial assistance, housing, and other aid.

Cumberland County has officially launched a pilot program aimed at preventing homelessness and offering stabilization to residents facing crisis, following an earlier vote by the Board of Commissioners to fund the program.

The Homeless Prevention and Stabilization Voucher Program is among the solutions that the county is working on in the wake of the Salvation Army’s closure of its Fayetteville shelter in April.

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Led by the Cumberland County Community Development Department, the program offers temporary financial assistance to eligible individuals and families, the county said in a Sept. 30 news release.

It aims to provide short-term support for residents who are currently experiencing homelessness, who are at risk of homelessness or those who are within two weeks of losing housing with no other resources available, the release said. It’s set to operate for up to six months or until the funds are exhausted.

To qualify, residents must meet the low-to-moderate income threshold of $42,000 or less annually, the release said, and must be referred through Coordinated Entry, Cumberland County’s centralized intake system for homelessness services.

“This pilot program is a critical step in addressing the immediate needs of our most vulnerable residents,” Tye Vaught, the interim Cumberland County Community Development director, said in the release. “By offering targeted, flexible support, we can help individuals stabilize their living situations and work toward long-term housing solutions.”

Commissioners unanimously approved allocating $250,000 for the program at their Aug. 25 meeting. The money comes from freed-up funds from the American Rescue Plan, The Fayetteville Observer previously reported.

Vaught told commissioners at the Aug. 25 meeting that after the six-month trial period, there should be enough information to report back to the board on the program’s performance and evaluate next steps.

Call 910-483-6869 or visit the Fayetteville Cares Day Resource Center at 128 S. King St. to begin the referral process.

To learn more about the Homeless Prevention and Stabilization Voucher Program or other housing resources, check out Cumberland County Community Development or call 910-323-6112.

What other measures are county officials taking?

In a separate news release on Sept. 30, the county announced it had issued a Request for Proposal for an operator of a temporary emergency shelter service provider for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

This follows an earlier stage in the process, a Request for Information, which had an Aug. 8 deadline. The Request for Proposal is a more detailed process.

The county said it will consider those who are service providers only, as well as service providers with a facility that can accommodate 50 to 60 individuals and/or families with children.

What about the long-term solutions?

The county is also seeking Requests for Proposals for a planned Unhoused Support Center, according to another news release on Sept. 30.

The county first announced plans for the shelter in 2022 and in February 2024, broke ground at 344 Hawley Lane in the B Street neighborhood. It’s intended to serve people experiencing homelessness with transitional housing and wraparound services.

After a pause in November to reevaluate the project’s scope, the Unhoused Support Center was back on track June 17, with commissioners receiving updated project plans from the architect, LSP3. On Aug. 11, commissioners voted to accept a presentation from LSP3 and to extend the county’s contract with Barr & Barr Construction. LSP3 project manager Bob Pressley told commissioners that his firm was wrapping up the first phase of the project, which included evaluating its programming and vision.

The operator chosen for the Unhoused Support Center will participate in the center’s design, programming, construction and implementation, the release said.

How to submit proposals

Nonprofits, businesses and other potential partners for the Unhoused Support Center or the temporary emergency shelter must submit their proposals by 4 p.m. Oct. 28.

To view the full RFP for each project and submit responses, visit cumberlandcountync.gov and click on the “Bid Opportunities” button. Follow the “Click Here for Bids” prompts until the Bid Search page is reached. Click the “Search” button to see all RFPs. You don’t have to enter a number to see RFPs. The temporary emergency shelter RFP is #26-14-ADM. The unhoused support center is RFP #26-15-ADM.

Questions about either RFP should be directed to Assistant County Manager Heather Skeens at [email protected] or 910-678-7725.

Reporting by Beth Hutson, Fayetteville Observer / The Fayetteville Observer

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