Long-awaited Warner-Robins homeless shelter is finished. Why it’s not open yet

A homeless shelter in Warner Robins that’s been in the works for more than two years and experienced numerous delays had its grand opening on Friday. But it's not yet open to the public.

Haven Hope House, located off Green Street, is the first homeless shelter in the city to be built by the City of Warner Robins.

“There are many people who are homeless in our community and in communities across the nation,” said Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick during Haven Hope House’s ribbon cutting. “At Haven Hope House, we can help redirect their path and give them a path of hope and success.”

The shelter will include 50 beds and offers meals, medical resources and assistance to find housing and employment. It will start as a day shelter, and then transition to an overnight shelter once it’s more established.

Creating the shelter proved to be a daunting task, though. The city first started on the project in 2022 when it acquired an old building on Green Street in need of heavy renovations.

The city initially estimated that the shelter would open in mid-2024, but that date was later pushed to April of this year. It was finally completed this fall.

Warner Robins announces who will run the shelter

While the city was responsible for constructing Haven Hope House, officials made it clear that they would trust a local organization to manage the shelter’s day-to-day operations.

Patrick announced during the grand opening Friday that the city had chosen The Assembly, a local church’s outreach arm, to manage Haven Hope House.

The structure is complete, but Hope Haven House has yet to be set up, Patrick said. Officials said they expect volunteers will help bring in furniture and supplies and organize the shelter to get it operational. It’s unclear when it will open to the public.

Patrick said she feels confident that The Assembly will continue the altruism that initially pushed the city to create Hope Haven House.

“Haven Hope House is a symbol that’s really going to turn our community into an even brighter place,” Patrick said.

What delayed construction?

Officials planned to complete the renovations through the Builders United in Uplifting Dreams program, which would have volunteers and firms donate their time. While the city did get some interest, it struggled to find adequate volunteers due to the scale and nature of the project.

Patrick told The Telegraph in June that because the project is a commercial building, it is subject to tighter regulations and requires skilled workers for construction. Residential buildings, by comparison, can use amateur laborers.

In October 2024, the city decided to change course and bring in a traditional construction firm to finish the project. It partnered with Macon-based Pro Construction of Georgia, which began working on the shelter in January.

However, challenges remained. Workers discovered additional issues with the building, which extended the timeline for completion.

Hope Haven House was completed earlier this fall, with the total cost coming to nearly $1 million.

“Haven Hope House is a symbol of safety, strength and renewed healing,” Patrick said. “Haven Hope House will restore dreams, give back dignity and reunite families.”