South Bend low-barrier housing Motels4Now gets a new home as New Day Intake Center

Nov. 27, 2024

SOUTH BEND — In the summer of 2020, Kuyler Harrison lived in one of the 100 tents that occupied the parking lot of the current Berean Transformation Center on South St. Joseph Street. Homeless individuals lived during the pandemic in downtown South Bend before, out of an emergency, Motels4Now was created, according to the board of the New Day Intake Center.

“It’s a less than perfect solution, but still serving a critical need,” Edward Bradley of Cressy Commercial Real Estate, who serves on the board of New Day, said of Motels4Now during a Nov. 26 during a press conference.

Our Lady of the Road started Motels4Now, which is now being spun off as New Day, an independent non-profit with its own board.

As a result of Motels4Now's housing-first model, Harrison now has something she thought she’d never have again — a home of her own where she lives with her 16-year-old chihuahua, Johnny Carson. She's been living in her own home since May 7 and is excited to host Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in years. She’s invited her son, who’s back in her life, she said.

“I have my house and my dog,” she said. “I can go home and put my feet up and it's my house because of these guys.”

Launching New Day with 'housing-first' priority

As Harrison looked back at the patch of grass in the parking lot where she used to live, one feeling came to mind: thankfulness.

Now, four years into Motels4Now, the board is ready for a more purposeful and permanent facility, as they announced the building of the New Day Intake Center at 4022 Old Cleveland Road on 15 acres of land that the city purchased in early October for New Day.

Today, tent encampments that were previously prevalent are largely not visible and not downtown, Bradley said, adding that a lot of the disruptions to downtown businesses and residents have been mitigated. He attributed much of the tangible progress made to Motels4Now.

“We know (the) Housing First model works,” he said. “We know we have a path for an effective solution, and it’s called New Day.” 

The building of the New Day Intake Center will begin in 2025, aiming to provide medical and psychiatric care, counseling and assistance in applying for permanent housing, in addition to a bed, a locking door and a bathroom, a New Day press release said. The new facility will have 120 beds and 30 single-occupancy rooms. Guests will have access to support from staff 24 hours, seven days a week. Guests will also have a monthly bus pass, daily transportation, a twice-daily meal service, an on-site pantry and cleaning, linen and hygiene supplies. 

New Day will represent a place where people can go to have the stability of housing, regular meals and have a support network to accompany people to their next best step, said Jon Schommer, executive director at Our Lady of the Road and board treasurer for New Day. 

Many people formerly on the streets have gone to long-term stability, he said. 

“If that’s done in a motel, that’s very makeshift. … What could be done if we have a purpose-built facility?” Schommer questioned. 

Schommer discussed the importance of a model that not only puts housing first, but support first as well.

“You need to have this wrap-around support,” he said. “As people have their basic needs met and they’re able to think about, ‘What does it look like for me to take care of my health?’ All these different dimensions, having those support systems there, is the way for folks to move on.” 

Places like New Day provide a way to re-knit together those support systems, he said.

Formerly homeless credit Motels4Now for 'saving lives'

Director Sheila McCarthy said there’s no time restraint on how long guests can stay, adding that the plan is to get them into permanent housing. 

According to a New Day information handout, through their model 77% of guests transition to stable housing. 

“The impact of New Day is unmatched both in terms of raw numbers … and of course the economic impact of our community, especially downtown South Bend,” said Becky Czarnecki, New Day secretary. 

Harrison and Jack Best are two of 592 formerly homeless individuals New Day says are no longer unsheltered because of the work of Motels4Now in the past four years. They both credit McCarthy and Motel4Now’s efforts in helping them get their own home.

Best, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Marines from 1968 to 1972, was homeless for 20 years. He recalled living in downtown South Bend, by the bus depot, Four Winds Field and by the former location of the Salvation Army, just looking for a place to stay warm.

"When you're homeless, you don't know where you're gonna be at," he said. "You don't know if you're gonna be alive or if you're gonna be dead. It's hard out there on the streets."

"I've been homeless most of my life," Best continued, saying it started when his mom died. He lived with his sister briefly, but was on the streets since. After receiving opportunities from Motels4Now, Best said, his life changed. He had a heart attack, he recalled, and didn't know what was happening to him. He underwent triple bypass surgery, he said.

"If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be alive today," Best said.

Best has been living in his own home for over two years, he said. He looks forward to sitting and watching the football games Thanksgiving Day.

"It's a whole different story from being outside to being inside," he said. "I've got a roof over my head (and) I fix my own food."