by Andrew Wigdor

The Murfreesboro Rescue Mission, a recently created nonprofit, is striving to bring the first permanent homeless shelter to the city.

The rescue mission is currently gathering finances and is shooting to open the shelter within three years. The nonprofit has located a potential property in Murfreesboro, but Rescue Mission officials say they cannot disclose the exact location at this time.

While Murfreesboro currently has some resources that can provide homeless individuals with refuge from the weather, such as the “drop-in” style Coldest Nights shelter that is open during the most frigid nights of the year, and limited accommodations made available through the Salvation Army, there are few options available for those looking to transition from the streets to permanent housing. Additionally, Murfreesboro Rescue Mission Director Ed Grimes says the homeless issue in the city is increasing in scope and severity.

Grimes said that over the past five years, the city homeless count rose from 90 to 300.

“Without a shelter, we are actually perpetuating homelessness,” Grimes said. “People say, ‘With a shelter, will people come here?’ The greater question is, ‘If we don’t have a shelter, will these numbers continue to grow?’”

As Murfreesboro grows as a whole, the homeless population also increases. According to 2018 U.S. Census data, Murfreesboro’s population grew by 3.8 percent between July 1, 2016 and July 1, 2017, and a Census Bureau report from 2017 placed Murfreesboro as the 10th-fastest-growing city in the nation.

“You can expect more people living in poverty,” Grimes said. “As the city grows in a positive direction, you can expect negative trends as well.”

Grimes referred to Coldest Nights as Murfreesboro’s “band-aid,” providing a temporary solution to a persistent issue.

“They’re getting the job done, but there just needs to be something more permanent,” Grimes said. “If we don’t develop a shelter where the homeless can get a foothold . . . then they are going to have trouble securing a job, getting the help that they need and getting back into society.”

According to Grimes, the new shelter will work to provide emergency services to certain homeless individuals and programs that will assist the homeless in re-entering the community and the workforce, and securing housing of their own. Grimes said the shelter will be low-barrier, meaning that homeless individuals will not have to meet extensive conditions such as proper identification or drug tests.

For more information and progress updates on the Murfreesboro Rescue Mission, visit murfreesbororescuemission.org.