Birmingham Expands Comprehensive Homelessness Strategy with Approval of Birmingham Oasis

From the City of Birmingham

July 28

Birmingham, AL — Continuing a multi-year strategy to reduce homelessness through housing, supportive services, and coordinated community partnerships, Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin recommended, and the Birmingham City Council approved, agreements to establish Birmingham Oasis. The dedicated daytime respite center will connect individuals experiencing homelessness with housing, healthcare, treatment, and other critical services. 

The Council approved a three-year ground lease agreement for approximately 0.21 acres at 600 3rd Avenue North to establish Birmingham 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 the City’s Opioid Abatement Program for an initial 12-month term. Urban Alchemy was selected through an RFP process.

Expected to open in late September, Birmingham Oasis (Open Accessible Safe Inviting Spaces) is the latest investment in the city’s broader effort to address homelessness through compassionate, evidence-based solutions that improve outcomes for individuals while enhancing the quality of life in Birmingham’s neighborhoods and public spaces. 

“Homelessness cannot be solved with a single program or by simply asking people to move from one place to another,” said Mayor Randall L. 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.”

Since taking office, the Woodfin administration has significantly expanded the City’s response to homelessness through strategic investments and partnerships.  Those efforts include:   

• Launching the Home for All safe sleep community to provide temporary housing and intensive case management for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.  
• Investing $3 million in City operating budget funding to strengthen homelessness services and expand outreach.  
• Partnering with nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, and regional service agencies to increase access to permanent housing and supportive services.  
• Supporting coordinated initiatives that address behavioral health, substance use disorders, workforce development, and long-term housing stability.  

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.

The center will operate approximately 12 to 14 hours each day, with core service hours Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. 

Services and amenities 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  

The site will also feature 24-hour surveillance, an emergency blue-light phone, and on-site trauma-informed personnel. 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.