{"id":125745,"date":"2025-10-03T16:00:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=125745"},"modified":"2025-10-22T21:24:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T01:24:47","slug":"city-releases-rfp-for-operation-of-new-homeless-services-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2025\/10\/03\/city-releases-rfp-for-operation-of-new-homeless-services-center\/","title":{"rendered":"City releases RFP for operation of new homeless services center"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The City of Fort Wayne\u2019s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services is soliciting proposals from area nonprofits to operate a new Homeless Services Center.<\/p>\n

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News release from the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana:<\/p>\n

City releases request for proposals for operation of new homeless services center<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fort Wayne, Indiana (October 3, 2025) \u2013 The City of Fort Wayne\u2019s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services is soliciting proposals from area nonprofits to operate a new Homeless Services Center, which will provide services not currently offered in Allen County.<\/p>\n

The vision of the Homeless Services Center is to offer comprehensive, low-barrier services for people experiencing homelessness that address immediate needs and pathways to permanent housing. Two specific programs are planned. The first is a 24 hours a day, seven days a week low-barrier shelter that will serve primarily unsheltered men and women with access to food, showers, laundry facilities, phone service, secure storage for personal belongings and more. The second is safe parking, which will offer designated parking spaces for people living in their vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur community doesn\u2019t offer all the services needed to address the complex issue of homelessness, and there is no organization equipped to fill these gaps alone,\u201d said Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker. \u201cThat\u2019s why the City of Fort Wayne is stepping up to lead an innovative partnership of the public, nonprofit and private sectors to offer results-oriented and compassionate services that prioritize safety and paths to permanent housing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The location of the Homeless Services Center is undetermined, but City leaders are exploring options to purchase an existing building and renovate it to accommodate the center. Plans are for the City to own the facility and for a nonprofit partner to operate the services. There is no timeline for the purchase of a building but staff are actively researching possibilities. The request for proposals is being issued now in order to give area nonprofits sufficient time to prepare proposals so a potential operator can be identified at the same time a building is located and renovated.<\/p>\n

All proposals should explain how operators will do the following:<\/p>\n