BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Birmingham City Council has approved a lease agreement to establish Birmingham Oasis, part of a multi-year strategy to reduce homelessness through housing.
According to the city, Mayor Randall L. Woodfin recommended, and city council approved, agreements to establish Birmingham Oasis. Oasis stands for Open Accessible Safe Inviting Spaces.
The Oasis will be a dedicated daytime respite center which will connect people experiencing homelessness with housing, healthcare, treatment and other critical services.
Birmingham City Council approved a three-year ground lease agreement for 0.21 acres at 600 3rd Avenue North to establish the Oasis. The lease totals $50,000 over three years.
The council also approved a $600,000 agreement with Urban Alchemy to operate the site through Birmingham’s Opioid Abatement Program for an initial 12-month term. Urban Alchemy was reportedly selected through an RFP process.
“Birmingham Oasis fills an important gap in that continuum of care by providing a safe place for individuals to spend the day when overnight shelters are typically closed while remaining connected to the resources needed to exit homelessness permanently,” said the city.
The Birmingham Oasis is expected to open in late September and will operate 12 to 14 hours each day, with core service hours happening Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The city said services and amenities at the Birmingham Oasis will include:
- Housing navigation and case management
- Mental health and substance use treatment referrals
- Peer support and recovery services
- Life skills coaching
- Assistance obtaining identification and vital records
- Employment connections
- Care coordination
- Meal services and charitable food distribution
- Drinking water, hydration and snacks
- Public restrooms
- Personal lockers and storage
- Naloxone (Narcan) access
- A dog park for guests with pets
- Designated smoking area
- Shaded gathering spaces and heated areas during colder weather
“Homelessness cannot be solved with a single program or by simply asking people to move from one place to another,” said Woodfin. “Our strategy is to meet people where they are, connect them to the services they need, and help them transition into stable housing. Birmingham Oasis builds on the work we’ve already begun by creating a place where outreach, healthcare, recovery, and housing services come together under one coordinated approach.”
The city said the site will also feature 24-hour surveillance, an emergency blue-light phone and on-site trauma-informed personnel.
Urban Alchemy(WBRC)
The Birmingham Police Department’s HOPE Unit will partner with Urban Alchemy practitioners to ensure safety while emphasizing outreach and service connections over enforcement.
“Birmingham Oasis represents another milestone in Birmingham’s long-term strategy to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring by investing in solutions that combine dignity, accountability, and measurable outcomes for residents and neighborhoods alike,” said the city.
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