CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – City Manager Sam Sanders Monday evening proposed a new low-barrier shelter solution the city’s been seeking for months, as well as proposed a contribution to the Salvation Army’s new Center of Hope. And the Salvation Army is willing to give up its Cherry Avenue thrift store space for the city to build a 50-bed low-barrier shelter space.

“We need more of what the Salvation Army is doing, and that is why I think it’s important to figure that out”, Sanders said.
“What the Salvation Army has also done, and what Major Mark Van Meter has done is share with me is ‘I appreciate what you’re talking about in the low barrier shelter space’ and he had an idea, and that idea is what I’ve been focused on every since.”

Sanders says there’s about $750,000 in facility improvements needed — 250,000 of which will be paid for out of AARP funds, and they hope to raise the rest from Albemarle County and other interested parties. By giving up its thrift effort, the Salvation Army stands to lose about $20o,ooo in annual revenue and Sanders proposes the city pay them that amount. Sanders also proposes the city contribute $1.5-million toward the new Center of Hope construction on its Ridge Street property out of the current $3.5-million available from AARP funds. He also proposes an additional $2.5-million from what he announced will be a significant revenue surplus to come.
He says the Salvation Army will not necessarily run the Cherry Avenue shelter, and the city is in conversations with entities including the Salvation Army to possibly do so.