Pope Francis Center opens bridge housing campus

The Pope Francis Center , which serves people experiencing homelessness, has opened a $40 million transitional housing campus in Core City.

Why it matters: The building offers 40 studio apartments and holistic, social and job-readiness services. It will assist people who are in the process of transitioning to living in a house or apartment and may need additional support with challenges around mental health or substance use.

• The center celebrated a ribbon-cutting Monday with Mayor Mike Duggan, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and others.

Zoom in: Pope Francis' new facility has a gym, commercial kitchen, medical and dental clinic, barbershop, library and more. Outside, an area with heated sidewalks, radiant heaters and shelter can accommodate people who, due to history or trauma, may not be ready to be indoors yet.

• Its largest funder is the California-based Julia Burke Foundation, which gave $13 million. Other funders include Ford Motor Co., the Piston Group and Lear Corp.
• The center has operated downtown for more than three decades offering meals, laundry and other resources to those experiencing homelessness.

What they're saying: "There's a gap in services for those who are chronically homeless, so we took the best practices from around the country … we listened to our guests tell us what they needed to recover," Tim McCabe, CEO of Pope Francis Center, said at the event.

• He called the facility a "great experiment" in "ending homelessness."

What's next: The first residents are expected to move in this month. They'll stay for 90-120 days, with the intention of moving to houses or apartments after.