City of Columbia's Rapid Shelter at full capacity.

Rapid Shelter Columbia, a transitional housing project consisting of small individual "pallet" cabins for chronically homeless clients developed by the City of Columbia, is currently at full occupancy. All 50 of the individual pallet units are occupied, according to a news release.

As of Jan. 5, Rapid Shelter Columbia has received 145 referrals and admitted 66 people, the release said. Out of 50 people currently using the facility, 79% are male and 21% are female, and 76% are 45 years old or older.

Rapid Shelter Columbia opened Nov. 1, 2022 and is the first transitional housing project of its kind in the Southeast.

"To see Rapid Shelter reach 100 percent capacity reflects the urgent need that the city has fulfilled to address the chronically unsheltered population," said Columbia City Councilwoman Aditi Bussells in the release. "Seeing this success so quickly is a reminder that we have to be willing to try things differently and believe that change is possible."

The program is designed to assist chronically homeless men and women with temporary shelter, case management and life-skill services. The program provides three meals per day and transportation to appointments for clients to receive services.

The wrap-around case management and life-building services are provided by specialized City of Columbia staff and on-site partners. These partners include Prisma Access Health, Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council, Cooperative Health, Centre of Addiction of Mental Health's mobile unit, Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, Vibez Church Bible Study, CAN Community Health, Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services, the Prisma...

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