Changes may be on the way in Hillsborough County regarding the homeless population.



According to Bay News 9's partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times, Hillsborough officials are considering turning a former work-release center into a homeless shelter.



The proposed homeless shelter would be at 1800 Orient Road, across the street from the jail. The Sheriff's Office uses part of the building as office space, said agency spokesman Larry McKinnon, but most of it has been unused since 2009.



The county does not have a publicly-funded homeless shelter.



On Thursday, county commissioners approved a deal with Metropolitan Ministries. Under the $1.18 million contract with Tampa-based nonprofit Metropolitan Ministries to provide emergency housing for homeless families and women.



The move comes as the county is trying to outsource services that were a part of its troubled "homeless recovery program."



Details and a timeline on the project have not been determined.

