Louisville homeless shelter opens doors for 24 hours a day in push to provide more support
A new policy at a Louisville homeless shelter will allow those looking for a place to stay to remain inside throughout the day – the first in the city to eliminate the check-in and check-out process.
“This will let our clients using the emergency shelter have even better access to our support services like case management and mental health/substance abuse counseling,” St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director and CEO Dave Calzi said in a release.
The new policy went into effect Sept. 1 and opens doors at the shelter daily for 24 hours. It will also give men at the shelter the option leave their belongings in a locker space when they leave for the day, according to the release.
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“Our goal is to help more of our residents in crisis find permanent housing,” Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Clark said. “We believe providing more stability in their time at the shelter will support this goal.”
St. Vincent de Paul's Ozanam Inn shelter is located at 1034 S. Jackson St. and can house up to 50 men, with 10 individual rooms for men who need a private setting.
An April 2022 report from the local nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless found there were more than 10,000 people in Louisville who sought shelter in 2021 – a 41% increase compared to 2018.
"One of the most pressing crises facing Louisville today is homelessness," the report stated, citing the pandemic as a key factor behind the increase.
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St. Vincent de Paul's Ozanam Inn is one of 12 emergency shelters in the city. To learn more about St. Vincent de Paul's services, visit svdplou.org.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter now open 24 hours a day
