ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Tompkins County is taking key steps to address the homeless crisis across the area. On Tuesday, county officials announced their plans to build a new emergency shelter at 227 Cherry Street, near many homeless encampments.

"Homelessness is a big problem everywhere in this country and right here in Ithaca and Tompkins County, and it seems like it's growing here," says Tompkins Co. Legislature Dan Klein. "Some of the systems that we have in place to deal with the issue are probably not quite adequate, including the sheltering system, which is one piece of the big puzzle."

The county legislature will vote on December 3rd, to finalize the $1.1 million property purchase. While the groundbreaking may not be for another year, officials hope that when the shelter opens it will support up to 100 people.

The county will spend $1.1 million to purchase the property; an additional $1 million in financial aid from the county's Capital Program go towards the project. The county also plans to apply for New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program funds, up to $6.1 to go towards the shelter's development.

Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo says this shelter is badly needed to help work on the homeless crisis that is not slowing down. 

"The county has really grappled with a significant number of unhoused folks over the last few years, especially coming out of the pandemic, and this has been identified acute need, and so the city is really thrilled to be partnering with the county in supporting this development, in finding a way forward for providing some sort of shelter for folks," says Mayor Cantelmo.

The announcement comes at a critical time, when just two weeks prior, the county's only year-round emergency homeless shelter closed. At this time, the county is working with local motels to offer temporary housing, including up to 90 beds through the Department of Social Services. 

A temporary 'Code Blue' shelter, located at 300 N. Tioga St., will provide overnight space for up to 50 people went temperatures hit below freezing. County officials say no one needed the shelter on Monday, November 25th, as temperatures did not drop to 32 degrees or below with windchill. The location is temporary solution according to the county, and plans surrounding a separate facility for winter 2025 and on will be determined at a later date.

"We don't see it as the solution to end homelessness," says Tompkins Co. Administrator Lisa Holmes. "It's certainly a piece to the puzzle and something that we need to do foundationally, locally to to assist in addressing the issue."

The county is looking for a not-for-profit agency to run the shelter. A timeline for the project is not set-and-stone, and is expected to begin with a groundbreaking in the next year. 

For people looking to access an emergency shelter, that information can be found by texting 2-1-1.