Safe Haven will be an emergency shelter operating 24/7 and year-round with 36 beds for single women, women with children and up to two intact families.
![Scott Rogers Safe Haven photographer Jessica Wakeman](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NEWS_4_ScottRogesSafeHaven_JessicaWakeman-330x248.jpg)
Safe Haven will be an emergency shelter operating 24/7 and year-round with 36 beds for single women, women with children and up to two intact families.
“Our children are our/their first priority and not a public loo, which will probably not be used by the tourists but by the homeless folks who hang out in the area.”
Although Asheville has numerous shelters for the homeless population, its organizers say this particular shelter fills gaps in the city’s current system. “The focus is on intact families,” explains shelter worker Gene Ettison.
“There should be zero homeless children because they do not have a choice.”
In the 2009-2010 school year, 142 children in the nine Transylvania County elementary, middle and high schools were identified as homeless at some point during the year. Most of those identified were “sofa surfing,” or temporarily living with another family. Despite having extensive services for the homeless, Transylvania County has no short-term emergency shelter for […]