As the recipient of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)/HUD Secretary’s Creating Community Connection Award, the Commons is recognized as a dignified space where the city’s most vulnerable residents have access to a continuum of treatment and services. The Commons’ three primary programs are distinguished vertically in the eight-story structure.
A transitional shelter for men, Doreen’s Place, occupies the building’s first floor. The 90-bed facility, with 45 beds reserved for veterans, includes storage areas for residents, a kitchen and common space — where service providers prepare and serve one meal a day — exercise facilities, and a courtyard. Case managers and counselors help residents move toward self-sufficiency and housing stability.3
The Day Center, occupying the second and third floors, serves as the central access point for the homeless and provides an array of resources and services.