Charlotte Salvation Army shelters to undergo additions and renovations
Maj. Jason Burns hopes an expansion of the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope near uptown will help the shelter better host homeless Charlotteans trying to escape inclement weather or who have mental health concerns.
The expansion is scheduled to be completed this year.
The Center of Hope, located on Spratt Street, has a capacity of 287 beds and can accommodate up to 330 during bad weather, when people live in the dining area or classrooms, Burns said.
“Thirty plus years ago, when we built the building, the homeless needs in Charlotte were different than the homeless needs now,” said Burns, an area commander. “We have to innovate and we have to think differently about solutions.”
Homelessness in Charlotte increased 3% between June 2023 and 2024. There were 2,784 people “actively experiencing homelessness” last year, the Mecklenburg County Housing and Homelessness Report said.
The county also saw a 33% increase between 2023 and 2024 in the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in its 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Additionally, over the last five years or so, Burns said, the Center of Hope has seen an increasing number of people with mental health concerns or physical disabilities who need better accommodations.
And because the shelter wasn’t constructed with inclement weather in mind, people are made to sleep in the dining area or classrooms when the shelter expands an additional 50 or so beds, he said.
The $3.5 million expansion will help, allowing some beds to be shifted from the main room and the overflow areas, Burns said.
Six bedrooms and a multi-use room
The construction of six bedrooms with four beds each will be reserved for people who would benefit from a smaller setting, such as those with mental health concerns or physical disabilities.
A 3,500 square foot “multi-use” room will be built for meeting with clients or running screenings with the Department of Health when it’s not used during inclement weather. The new room will have bathrooms and showers.
“It’s a more compassionate way to care for our residents and our clients,” Burns said.
Renovations at Booth Commons
Booth Commons, a Salvation Army shelter in a former hotel for families experiencing homelessness, will also undergo a renovation. The facility is more like an apartment than a shelter, Burns said, as families are typically more self-sufficient and have more freedom to come and go.
The property, which is located on Billy Graham Parkway, was purchased by Mecklenburg County with federal money, Burns said. But the 100-unit building, which can accommodate 400 people, has plumbing and other problems.
Families have been moved into hotels, he said, so workers can make repairs over the next seven to eight months.
The $5.6 million renovation includes the remodeling of areas where staff will work, interview rooms for families working with counselors, and a classroom which will include a computer lab. There will be a space for clinic services provided by Shelter Health Network and a dedicated play space for children.
Families will be able to move back into Booth Commons once construction has completed.
The money for these projects came from a $32 million fundraising effort, called the “Better the Future” campaign that began in 2022. The nonprofit is still raising money for that campaign, Burns said, with about $6 million left to go for other projects.
“We do want to care for our residents. We do want to be a city of compassion. We do want to be a city that cares for those who are facing challenges,” he said. “And so this is a good response to that.”
Correction: This story was updated to correct the location of Booth Commons.
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
