Washington County unveiled its first short-term emergency housing facility for homeless adults on November 19, with county officials and leaders of the Washington County Community Development Agency (CDA) hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Emergency Housing Services Building (EHSB), situated on the Government Center campus in Stillwater, marks a significant increase in the county's ability to provide safe, temporary housing for those in need. As reported by the county's official announcement, the facility boasts 30 private living units, complete with their own bathrooms, in a welcome response to the county's homelessness issue.
On any given night, Washington County sees an average of 166 people without a roof over their heads. This new $12 million, 30,000-square-foot investment, the construction of which began in November 2024 and wrapped up both on time and within financial planning, demonstrates a drive to alleviate such strife. Speaking at the event, Washington County Commissioner Bethany Cox, District 3, emphasized the indiscriminate nature of homelessness and the county's commitment to addressing it. "Homelessness does not discriminate. It touches individuals and families across our county, often during the most vulnerable moments of their lives," Cox stated, viewing the facility as a concrete manifestation of empathy and action.
The EHSB affords more than a temporary abode. Equipped with a computer lab designed for job searching and workforce training, a commercial kitchen with a shared dining area, storage facilities, and parking, the building seeks to cultivate a stable environment conducive to transition. Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, which will staff the facility day and night, is set to bolster residents with crucial services like job linkage, transportation, case management, and help in securing essential documents — features that truly address the multifaceted challenges of homelessness.
With the Washington County CDA at the helm of its development, the project's completion represents a collaboration among community partners focused on offering more than mere shelter. As Melissa Taphorn, Executive Director of Washington County CDA, expressed her organization's intent in a statement, "The success of this project was no small feat and is a testament to the commitment and collaboration of the many partners that brought it to fruition." Furthermore, the CDA hopes to guide individuals from the emergency housing to the comfort of more permanent residences as they leave this establishment.
Referrals to the program are slated to start in December, with the prospect of bolstering the lives of those eligible — adults without children who are unsheltered in Washington County and actively seeking a housing plan. The program will also accommodate those with partners and pets, under certain guidelines. For more information, interested parties are directed to reach Washington County Community Services at [email protected].
