Patrick Ilwell, public safety administration manager, updated the committee on the city-owned former YDC building at 3 Patel Drive and said staff is drafting a competitive request for proposals for nonprofits to operate a consolidated humanitarian services facility.

“We're building a document that we'll publish out,” Ilwell said. He said the procurement will be a competitive process that will likely be open to proposals for at least one month and possibly two, and that the city expects to seek teams or organizations that can provide emergency shelter, basic medical services, workforce training and long-term housing assistance aimed at reducing homelessness.

Ilwell said the project is separate from a zoning text amendment the council is considering; both efforts are intended to work together but are distinct processes. He said the city will not pre-assign or lease portions of the building to individual nonprofits before the procurement: “We're not renting any space. We're not excluding anybody, but we're also not bringing anyone in,” he said. Once the RFP is published, staff plans to hold a public meeting at the building for nonprofits to tour the site and ask questions.

Ilwell cited Harrisonburg as a nearby jurisdiction that used American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and a similar procurement approach to establish a nonprofit-operated facility; he said Winchester will likewise provide the building and certain project elements while seeking an experienced nonprofit operator.

No timeline for selecting an operator was fixed at the committee meeting; Ilwell said the RFP drafting was ongoing and that staff would respond to nonprofit questions in advance of the public procurement period. He invited nonprofit inquiries and said staff would publish details and hosting opportunities once the RFP goes live.