Community members in Steubenville are working together to help unhoused people, after the eastern Ohio city鈥檚 homeless shelters closed.
Urban Mission Ministries shuttered both its emergency shelter and one for women and children in October, citing financial strain.
Now, three months later, the community has yet to find a long-term solution to shelter people in need.
鈥淲e do have warming centers here,鈥� said Beth Rupert-Warren, the community service coordinator for the Jefferson County Resource Network.
But she says those services are more limited than a permanent, overnight shelter.
鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 hourly, sometimes it鈥檚 just for maybe 24 hours,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome people are having to go to other areas, other counties and communities.鈥�
She says discussions are in the works to open a new facility in the future, but that will take time.
鈥淲e've got people who are already willing to make donations, to volunteer,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's just, unfortunately, the timeline right now is when it's frigid and cold, and we need to be able to meet those needs.鈥�
Ohio鈥檚 shelter bed shortage
Steubenville is not the only Ohio community having discussions about how to help unhoused people.
In December, the city of Athens to allow for temporary emergency shelters. Meanwhile, the Marietta Planning Commission recently for an overnight shelter.
Statewide, a found there were 8,338 homeless adults in Ohio, but fewer than 5,701 available year-round shelter beds. That amounts to just 68 beds for every 100 people in need.
Rupert-Warren said Jefferson County鈥檚 situation is unique because of its location in the tristate area.
鈥淲e are literally on the river, right across the river from West Virginia. We're like 20 minutes from the Pennsylvania state line,鈥� Rupert-Warren said. 鈥淪o that makes us very unique that we have people coming from multiple states.鈥�
She says it can be complicated and time-consuming to connect people with state resources if they don鈥檛 have an established Ohio residence.