GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Community Behavioral Health Agency Clinical & Support Options (CSO) will take over the emergency shelter in Greenfield on April 1st and they plan on some big changes.

The transition to take over the homeless shelter is set to take place from ServiceNet to CSO in just a few days and the nonprofit – which provides social services across Hampshire and Franklin counties sees this investment as much needed.

Geoffrey Oldmixon, Associate VP of Marketing & Development at CSO told 22News, “So many factors in our local community that are contributing to housing insecurity. So when you think of that through the lens of behavioral health and what housing can effect in terms of added stress, in terms access to healthcare and that sort of thing, you know it is a priority.”

Along with the transition are plans for a massive $23 million transformation at 60 Wells Street of the existing emergency shelter. Although these changes haven’t begun just yet, CSO’s proposed design is expansive to say the least. CSO’s proposed design includes expanding shelter capacity from 30 to 40, and construction of a new three-story building that will hold 36 studio apartments as well as a complete renovation of the current building.

“It’s partly the revitalization of the homeless shelter but it’s also adding a whole bunch of affordable housing for people who are homeless at the time, so that we develop it, so that’s actually the bulk of the funding,” said Bill Miller, Vice President of Housing at CSO.

Eventually CSO plans to not just have housing but also services like on-site nursing, on-site behavioral health clinicians and access to a host of individualized supports. Miller told 22News that this project should take at least a year but that he is very excited for what’s to come.