The effort has been part of the city’s Homeless Intervention Plan, as council and city staff have looked for the best ways to address an issue that has elicited a wide range of public input. A low barrier shelter has been at the top of the priority list, particularly after a proposed ordinance to ban sleeping and storage of personal property in public spaces was tabled at the Sept. 2 council meeting.
The property is a 27,000-square foot former office building on 3.8 acres behind the Days Inn and the Country Inn & Suites on Emmet Street. At Monday’s council meeting Charlottesville Director of Economic Development, Chris Engel, said the city will have a third-party conduct a condition assessment that will determine the amount of work needed…