Second Street Place Drop-In Shelter Operator

Wake County Housing Affordability & Community Revitalization (HACR) is requesting proposals from qualified nonprofit agencies to operate a low-barrier, drop-in homeless shelter at 5010 Second Street in Raleigh, North Carolina, with proposals due September 3, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST via the Wake County Bonfire Portal. Proposers must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations — a mandatory eligibility filter.

The facility, a 9,300 square-foot former AT&T server building, must operate seven days per week, providing safe short-term housing and linking guests to stabilization and permanent-housing services. The operator is responsible for all operational aspects: facility management, staffing, front-line services, case management, and coordination with local service providers. Proposers must implement Housing First and Harm Reduction principles, integrate the seven pillars of the Bridge to Home model, and participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Coordinated Entry system. Real-time data collection and reporting capabilities are required.

The initial contract structure consists of a two-year licensing agreement for use of the county-owned facility with options for annual renewals over five years, plus a two-year service contract with provisions for up to two subsequent two-year renewals (six years total), contingent on satisfactory quarterly performance reviews. Proposers must specify leveraged resources including in-kind contributions, grants, partnerships, and fundraising; no county funding amount is specified. Payment to Wake County occurs monthly per an agreed revenue-share formula using the county's approved contract template. Shelter operations are expected to begin in November 2026.

Evaluation criteria include organizational experience and capacity, operations-plan quality, financial capacity and leveraged resources, data collection practices, incorporation of lived expertise, community partnerships, Bridge to Home alignment, total cost, and staffing plan. Required insurance includes Workers' Compensation (statutory limits with $500,000 employers liability), Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Commercial Automobile Liability ($1 million per accident), and Professional Liability ($1 million per claim / $2 million aggregate); all carriers must hold an AM Best rating of A−/VII or better and be authorized in North Carolina. Questions are due August 13, 2026, with responses on August 17. Vendor selection is scheduled for September 2026.