The Birmingham City Council has approved an $850,000 agreement to establish a daytime center for people who are homeless. The center, called Birmingham Oasis, will be located on 0.21 acres at 600 Third Ave. N. and will be operated by the nonprofit homeless outreach group Urban Alchemy.

Services and Features

The Oasis will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will offer services such as showers, bathrooms, and laundry facilities. The center will also feature 24-hour surveillance, an emergency blue-light phone, and on-site trauma-informed staff working alongside Birmingham police and Urban Alchemy.

According to city leaders, the investment approved includes $50,000 for a three-year ground lease on the property, $600,000 for operating costs, and $200,000 in capital investment. The majority of this funding is provided through the national opioid settlement money awarded to the city.

City Council Approval

The council took up the matter of the Oasis center in November but set the item aside after council members mentioned concerns. Those included the number of clients helped for the cost as well as a report in September of Urban Alchemy workers in Austin having misrepresented data.

Councilor Hunter Williams said he continues to believe that the Oasis park isn’t an appropriate use of taxpayer money. Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, who represents the district where Birmingham Oasis will be located, said he believes this will help build trust and connect unhoused residents with vital resources.

Original reporting: BirminghamWatch — read the source article.