CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville City Council unanimously approved a $3 million appropriation, out of $7 million in state funding, to go to the Salvation Army’s Center for Hope project Monday night at their regular business meeting.

The money was granted via State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottsville), who said it was actually more than he thought he’d be able to get directed toward transitional housing and workforce development services.

The city for a short period of time was unclear about its use, but Deeds had said prior that $4 million was for city use as it seemed fit toward the two objectives, and $3 million was to go to the Salvation Army.

“The City Manager, Mayor, all of you have just been so kind to us,” Salvation Army Charlottesville Corps Officer Donald Wilson told the council on Monday. “And also looking at the aspect of the Salvation Army being a partner and a player to help solve and to just strengthen lives in the community, so thank you very much.”

Salvation Army Capital Campaign counsel Derek Alley told council this $3 million, in addition to the $3 million the city apportioned to the Center for Hope out of the budget, will help toward a goal of $28 million raised by the end of the month.

“The capital campaign goal includes $22.2 million to construct the new Center of Hope, plus $2.2 million, 10% of the cost of construction, to furnish the Center of Hope, a $2.2 million addition to the endowment to create further sustainability and help maintain the new Center of Hope, and a small contingency fund of about $1.8 million that will ensure the Salvation Army doesn’t have to go back to the community and request further support once the capital campaign goal has been achieved,” Alley said.

Alley said after the Council approval, they have $21.3 million, or 76% pledged, or their goal.

“Of that amount, $10.75 million has already been contributed,” Alley said, which includes the total $6 million from the city.

In answering Councilor Lloyd Snook’s question of whether they had to have all or part of the money in hand in order to begin construction, Alley said the Salvation Army has a couple of guidelines they follow.

“One of those guidelines is we have to have one-third of the amount of the capital campaign contributed in cash. We have satisfied that requirement,” Alley said. “The second requirement is that we have 100% of the cost of the goal of the capital campaign committed, and we’re working towards that now while we also have in mind wrapping up fundraising efforts by the end of this month or by the end of summer.”

Alley noted the Salvation Army has been in Charlottesville for 114 years, and the advisory board promises there will be a new Center of Hope here.

“I do think our return on investment for those additional shelter capacity, transitional housing units, dining hall capacity are a good return on investment for the city,” Councilor Michael Payne said as part of the unanimous approval.

“We know that this facility will be a complement. It won’t be the total solution,” Wilson said. “We never envision it to be that, but a complement to what was already in place, and we’re very grateful.”

City Manager Sam Sanders said there are projects in mind for the remaining $4 million that must go toward the state goals, which means it cannot be used for the emergency temporary shelter opening of 2000 Holiday Drive Sept. 1.

But it can be used for other projects perhaps there or elsewhere.

“There’s negotiations attached to those, so I would like to keep some of that quiet, but the intent is that transitional housing is where individuals will go when they leave the shelter,” Sanders said. “So, it is the next rung on the ladder. It may not be an opportunity that they are not ready for full independence, but there’ll be wrap-around services that could continue to be available for those individuals.

“But it is non-congregant housing that we believe is an option that we can bring to light as well, and the $4 million would begin to be used for that purpose.”