The Eddy House announced Thursday that they are planning to open a new 24-hour facility.
They say they are the only homeless youth shelter here in town.
City council members, representatives for Nevada's senators, and a county commissioner were all there to hear what the future of The Eddy House looks like.
A new 16,000 square foot facility with 54 drop in beds and four emergency beds will offer 24-hour services.
Eddy House officials say the new development will help more homeless youth in our area, and that this facility will help solve a larger issue in our community.Â
Michele Gehr the Executive Director at The Eddy House says, "Nevada has the fastest growing rate of homeless youth in our entire country, we have more homeless youth living on our streets per capita than California.. So it really is a home grown issue, most of the kids living on our streets are from Washoe County."
As of right now The Eddy House closes its doors at 5, and the people who come to them have to go back to the streets.
She says that they mainly help youth between the ages of 18 and 24.
Gehr says that's because they are too young to feel safe in adult shelters, but are too old for many children services.
"Those are young kids who don't have that family support, maybe they are aging out of systems, maybe they are trying to live on their own without they education or job training that they need, maybe they don't have basic life skills" Gehr says.
One Eddy House team member say this building has been needed for a long time and he is happy to see it finally come.
"There is only so much you can do when they don't have a place to go at night. If you don;t have a place to get some rest, or a place to feel safe. It is really hard to get up and to go to work the next day" says Thomas Hassen.
Eddy House officials say the new facility should be fully operational by fall.Â
