The state-of-the-art adult transitional facility, which will serve homeless people in Kingston and St Andrew, will be opened in May.

Jamaica's homeless population is in excess of 2,000, with at least half of that number in the Corporate Area.

Mayor of Kingston, Delroy Williams, told Tuesday's monthly council meeting that the centre, which is located at 163-167 King Street in downtown Kingston, will be operated and managed by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation.

The facility will better enable the municipal authority to manage homelessness in the Corporate Area and also ease the burden on the Marie Atkins Night Shelter.

It will offer temporary care to members of the homeless population.

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Through treatment and intervention, homeless persons will be reintegrated into society.

“We have completed phase one and that means that we will begin to accommodate homeless persons in the facility and begin to operate. That facility is a major accomplishment of the municipality and the Ministry of Local Government,” Williams said.

Ground was broken by Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie in November 2019 for the $140 million facility.

- Judana Murphy

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