Construction is complete on a $6 million emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors and their families in Chautauqua County, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Oct. 1. The seven-unit, 19-bed Anew Center will replace a smaller Salvation Army shelter, but the state did not provide an opening date.
The governor's announcement says the project received $4.4 million from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. Private foundations and the Salvation Army also contributed. The release describes construction as complete and says the center will serve people when it opens; it does not say residents have moved in.
The former shelter had 13 beds in a building dating to the 1860s that was not accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act and needed costly repairs, according to the state. The replacement has private bathrooms and showers in each unit, security features and space for case managers, family-resource specialists and prevention staff. Once operating, it is intended to provide around-the-clock emergency shelter and support for survivors of domestic violence and related crises, including sexual assault and human trafficking.
Statewide awareness activities
Hochul announced the completed facility as New York began Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The state planned to light several landmarks purple on Oct. 1, including the Fairport Lift Bridge in Monroe County. That lighting was a one-night observance; the release does not describe an ongoing closure or bridge event.
The state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Office of General Services plan a Clothesline Project exhibit Oct. 20-22 at the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany. The display will feature shirts made by survivors and their families. The state's Purple Thursday observance is Oct. 22.
The governor's office also highlighted state programs that help protect survivors' addresses, provide direct financial assistance and train law enforcement. The announcement did not provide new statewide figures on domestic violence cases, shelter demand or the number of people expected to use the Chautauqua facility in its first year.
The new center serves Chautauqua County, outside the Finger Lakes service area. The Fairport observance is the release's direct local connection; no Finger Lakes shelter grant was announced with this project.
People seeking confidential help in New York can contact the state's Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 800-942-6906, text 844-997-2121, or use the chat service at opdv.ny.gov. The state says support is free, available around the clock and offered in most languages.
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