Downtown Columbia’s Wabash station would no longer shelter homeless residents, under proposed budget

Monday (August 15) evening will be your first opportunity to testify about the Columbia city manager’s proposed $506-million proposed budget.

De’Carlon Seewood’s budget proposes contracting with a provider to use a location for the homeless other than the Wabash station.

“We’re still trying to determine. But we know that we’ll be working with RATI (Room at the Inn) for most of the shelter. But then we’re also looking at Turning Point to kind of handle those critical people that can’t go to RATI,” Seewood tells 939 the Eagle.

Columbia’s Downtown Community Improvement District says the Wabash is “not an acceptable place for long-term camping and sheltering,” and they’ve called on the city to end camping and 24-hour access there.

Turning Point is a United Methodist ministry. Its website says it “welcomes the help of those in our community no matter their religious or non-religious affiliation. Our mission is to promote and restore dignity and hope among Columbians who are facing the possibility of housing crisis or who are currently experiencing homelessness.”

Turning Point, which is located on Columbia’s Wilkes Boulevard, is open weekdays from 8 am until noon.

Advocates for the homeless want to make sure there is adequate shelter to assist unhoused residents.

The city council plans a Saturday morning budget work session. It begins at 9.