Council hears presentation on purchase of downtown 'Well' property for expanded homeless services; debate centers on location and operations

City staff presented an ordinance (first reading) on Jan. 6 that would authorize purchase of 204 Union Street — known locally as "the Well" — for expanded homeless support services in partnership with Clarksville Area Urban Ministries and The Well ministry.

Miss Austin, who led the presentation, said the city intends to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement funds to buy the property for $750,000 with approximately $250,000 in planned improvements and that Urban Ministries would carry annual operating and maintenance costs under a lease or service agreement. "This ordinance does not establish a 24/7 shelter," Austin said, describing the intended use as expanded case management, daytime services (food, showers, laundry), and emergency sheltering only during extreme weather events.

Council members focused on location, operational details and accountability. Several members said downtown business owners and nearby residents had expressed concerns about safety and visibility. Councilman Smith asked whether the purchase would exhaust annual CDBG dollars; Austin replied the city’s CDBG entitlement this year is roughly $1,049,000 and that the purchase would not exhaust funding for home‑repair, rental assistance and other programs.

Questions about capacity and operations remained unresolved in the session. Austin said final bed counts for emergency use would be set during site review and by the fire marshal; she stated a target closer to 80 emergency beds during extreme weather, and said day‑to‑day hours and lease details would be finalized in the subsequent service agreement and site plan review.

Public comment at the meeting included long‑time residents who said the Well’s current location already affects neighborhoods. One resident said the site had produced litter and safety incidents he had personally cleaned up; another argued expanded services should not be sited adjacent to residential properties. Staff said monitoring provisions would be included because the purchase uses CDBG funds and city staff conduct two‑year reviews to verify intended use.

No final council vote on the purchase was recorded in the executive session; the item was listed for further consideration at the Thursday meeting.