Wake County is moving forward with plans to open a drop-in shelter in North Raleigh for people who are experiencing homelessness.
The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to buy a former AT&T cellular switching center at 5010 Second Street, near the intersection of Millbrook Road and Old Wake Forest Road.
"We did not just want a building," said deputy housing director Morgan Mansa. "We wanted something that spoke well to the existing neighborhood. We wanted something that was close to transportation and grocery stores and other resources that individuals who are here may need."
Mansa said there's a need for more shelter space, since the number of people without permanent housing in Wake County doubled between 2019 and last year. She cited a 2023 housing study, which showed the amount of shelter space in Wake County declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the need for beds increased. The county has opened "White Flag" shelters during extreme heat and cold, but Mansa said the drop-in shelter will be a permanent solution.
"The acquisition of 5010 Second Street will make it so that those who need shelter on our coldest nights and on our alarmingly hot nights and all of those days in between, have a safe haven so that they can rest their heads every night in our community," she said.
Once the sale is finalized, the county will partner with community organizations to renovate the building and operate the shelter, which will have up to 98 beds. Mark Edmondson, a real estate specialist for Wake County, said the 9,000-square-foot building meets the standards for a shelter.
"There's ADA access. It's close to bus stops. There's good site circulation," he said. "There's a mega generator, because this place used to be an AT&T 3G switching station, and when the 3G technology went away, they no longer supported it or needed the space."
Commissioner Cheryl Stallings asked if nearby residents would support the project. Edmondson replied that it's mostly an industrial area. He said 25 to 40 unsheltered people live within 100 yards of the site.
"There's a train track immediately to the east. On the other side of that track, there are woods and camps up and down," Edmondson said.
Purchase of the building will cost Wake County $1.6 million. Converting the building into shelter is projected to cost $6.8 million, with an opening date in spring or summer of 2025. Mansa said the City of Raleigh and other partners have expressed a willingness to contribute to the project.
