As Dec. 1 opening nears, city leaders emphasize temporary nature of both the facility and partnership with operator
Ashland.news staff report
The Ashland City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 18, selected the nonprofit that manages the city’s designated camping lawn to also operate its severe weather shelter, scheduled to open Dec. 1.
The shelter, located at 2200 Ashland St., will operate through April 1 during periods when temperatures reach 32 degrees or below, Ashland City Manager Sabrina Cotta said. The facility will offer 32 beds and will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Bringing Opportunities for Housing, Resources & Assistance (OHRA) on as the operator comes at minimal cost to the city, according to Cotta. OHRA Executive Director Dan Cano said the organization secured a one-time $100,000 state grant, while the city will contribute $30,000 from its general fund.
Mayor Tonya Graham stressed that both the partnership with OHRA and the building’s use as a shelter are temporary and transitional. “For now, we should see this as the convergence of resources and need,” she said.
Construction on the building is expected to be completed at the end of November. State fire codes limited the shelter’s overnight occupancy capacity. The city purchased the building in 2023, primarily using state grant funding. The building was originally designed as office space.
Cano said OHRA will staff the facility with a site coordinator, four part-time employees, and trained volunteers.
Other services
A long-term plan for 2200 Ashland St. includes filling available office space with service providers supporting people experiencing homelessness. Cotta said the city’s immediate priority has been securing an operator for the shelter, but it is now vetting potential service providers and considering how to manage the building as a landlord.
Graham said the city does not expect any new service partnerships to launch in the coming months while the building is serving as a “major shelter.” However, Cotta noted the city would not be opposed if a provider wanted to begin offering services sooner.
The goal, she said, is to supply emergency shelter along with appropriate resources, while also being mindful of neighborhood concerns. OHRA, she added, is well positioned to run the facility “effectively and efficiently.”
Filling shelter beds
Cano said bed priority will go to people staying at the city’s designated camping area, or “night lawn.” OHRA also plans to coordinate with local churches and community groups that operate emergency shelters to ensure people are not turned away when the facility is full.
By organizing those relationships and knowing each group’s capacity and availability, Cano said, staff can better guarantee placement for individuals during severe weather. OHRA is compiling this information ahead of the shelter’s December opening.
Finance report
Ashland Interim Finance Director Bryn Morrison presented the city’s quarterly financial report. Morrison said city revenues are largely on track due to increases in several tax categories, and expenses remain within expected ranges. However, the city’s capital fund shows a negative ending balance because of cost overruns at the Ashland Community Center and Pioneer Hall. The report states that the capital fund will require a $200,000 transfer from the general fund to close the shortfall.
Related stories:
City Council to discuss wildfire plan, housing project and emergency shelter upgrades on Tuesday (Aug. 17. 2025)
Ashland’s ‘night lawn’ camping area regularly exceeds capacity (Oct. 29, 2025)
‘We don’t want anybody left in a lurch’: Ashland’s unhoused get wildfire evacuation plan after concerns raised on local radio show (Oct.14, 2025)
Activist accuses Ashland police of using ‘night lawn’ to entrap homeless (June 17, 2025)
