The space addresses a need long unanswered in Philadelphia, City Council President Darrell L. Clarke has said. SEPTA was contending with a growing population of homeless people occupying benches in transit centers such as Suburban Station and was looking for a humane way to address the problem. As far back as 2012, when Philadelphia faced controversy over homeless people being provided food on the Ben Franklin Parkway, there has been a need for a daytime service provider in Center City. A number of other locations didn't pan out before SEPTA suggested its space. Project HOME has used space in Suburban Station before, but that was a much smaller facility open only during the winter months.