Douglas County Shelter: 23-Tent Village Offers Men a Path to Housing

A 23-tent transitional village currently operating on Douglas County government property near the local courthouse provides temporary shelter for men working to secure permanent housing. The site, known as Shinnah Haven, sits approximately one mile from an unapproved homeless encampment off Highway 92 that Douglasville Police recently cleared.

The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Daily Bread Ministry has managed the program for 10 years and has occupied its current location for three years. Former Judge Beau McClain advocated for the ministry before county commissioners, resulting in permission to operate the camp and install portable restrooms on the site. Operating expenses total $1,000 monthly, covering the maintenance of those restrooms and the weekly trash pickup scheduled for Tuesdays.

Program coordinator Leila Myers stated that the Hebrew name for the camp translates to "new beginnings." She noted that the structure is designed to foster pride among residents while maintaining a safe environment. The site differs from traditional homeless camps by excluding individuals with active mental health cases and enforcing four pages of operational rules.

Residents undergo mandatory drug and alcohol testing and must adhere to a strict curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Exceptions to the curfew are granted only for verified employment. Myers requires every participant to hold a defined plan for securing permanent housing. The community also enforces rules against littering, including discarding cigarette filters on the ground, with residents holding one another accountable for safety.

Financial criteria dictate the length of stay and the type of assistance provided. Residents without active addictions who earn between $800 and $900 monthly receive help finding rooms in boarding houses. These individuals must transition out of the tent village to free up space for new arrivals. In contrast, individuals receiving $1,000 a month in Social Security benefits are limited to a maximum stay of 60 days while staff assist in locating housing.

Myers emphasized that strict guidelines prevent the community from unraveling. "It's hard, but you just have to have rules. And we have accountability within the guys when they come in. I said, these are the rules. I go over all the rules," Myers said. "If you do something wrong, they're going to tell me. And that's not reading on your brother. That's keeping the place for you. Live safe." She added that the program serves men coming out of jail or family conflicts, including a previous high school student.

Will Barker has lived at Shinnah Haven for three years while working to rebuild his life following repeated stays in jail. Because he was on probation, traditional emergency shelters were unavailable to him. "I had nowhere else to go. This was about the only place I could go," Barker said. He currently earns income by cutting lawns and is searching for steady employment to afford an apartment. "It's taking time. I'm not going to lie," Barker said.

County officials have not yet determined whether additional acreage or long-term lease agreements will be approved as the program expands. Authorities have also not confirmed where individuals displaced by the cleared Highway 92 encampment have relocated. The information for this report was gathered from on-site interviews with Myers and Barker, as well as Douglas County government property and operational records.