MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Sept. 2, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a three-point plan proposed by Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais regarding the future of the Beech Street Shelter.
Initially proposed in August with initial support from the Aldermen, the plan also received the recommendation of the board’s Committee on Community Improvement prior to the full board meeting later on the evening of Sept. 2.
In a release provided by the Office of Mayor Ruais, the plan will unfold in two phases.
The first phase keeps the Beech Street Shelter at 38 Beech St. open until Feb. 28, 2026, preserving 40 emergency beds and daily services for 40-50 unique individuals such as the shelter’s engagement center. The second phase begins on March 1, 2026 where individuals who were housed at the shelter with chronic health conditions or who were aged will be placed into a new higher-barrier shelter with 20 beds. According to a lease included in the Sept. 2 Aldermanic meeting packet, this facility will be located at 190 Elm St.
On the morning of Sept. 4, Ruais released the following statement.
“I want to thank the Board of Aldermen for approving this plan that will protect the most vulnerable among us, while allowing for us to prepare for fatality prevention during the winter months. We must be proactive in this effort to address our collective challenges. Additionally, it is essential to note that this effort would simply not be possible without the extraordinary generosity of the Elliot Health System, Catholic Medical Center and Dartmouth Health.
These critical facilities make our city better, and stronger, every single day. With this innovative initiative, they are stepping up in a big way to make a major difference. This is what it looks like when our community comes together. Thanks to their leadership and compassion, we are not only preserving shelter for dozens of people but also ensuring that lives will be protected during the harshest months of the year. This partnership demonstrates what can be accomplished when we work together to protect and care for those most in need.
I also want to thank Granite United Way who has offered their expertise in structuring the ability to fund this initiative, Manchester Community College for providing staffing assistance through their nursing program, and the NH Job Corps Center, through which, we will be hiring additional staff.
As I’ve always said, the strength of our city is within our people and our organizations that strive to work together and solve problems. We are incredibly fortunate to have such partnerships in the Queen City.”
Elliot Health System President/CEO Dr. Greg Baxter MD, Released the Following Statement:
“We are especially pleased with the decision to execute this vitally important plan put forth by Mayor Ruais. At The Elliot, we believe our impact on health for our city is strengthened by working alongside community organizations who provide essential health care support needs. As a community-focused care delivery system guided by our mission to inspire wellness and heal our patients while serving with compassion, caring for all our citizens is crucial to building healthier communities together. The services available through the Beech Street shelter and winter warming facilities offer more than a place for residents to live. They are essential services that help to bridge the gap for our most vulnerable and aging populations, connecting them to needed resources in a safe environment. They allow our health systems to focus on providing a higher level of critical care as aligned with our legacy of excellence in patient care, to ensure we are collectively best serving our communities.”
Catholic Medical Center Released the Following Statement:
At Catholic Medical Center. we carry out Christ’s healing ministry by offering health, healing and hope to every person we serve. That mission extends beyond our walls and into the heart of our community. Supporting this initiative is about more than a shelter — it’s about protecting lives, preserving dignity and ensuring that all of our neighbors have the opportunity to be safe and well. We are proud to stand with our partners in answering this urgent need and building a healthier, more compassionate Manchester — because the strength of a community is revealed in how we care for our most vulnerable.
Dartmouth Health Released the Following Statement:
“Dartmouth Health, as New Hampshire’s largest and only academic health system, has deep roots in the Queen City, via our Manchester clinic. Many of our clinicians live here and we care for our patients in the city’s hospitals. It is a duty and privilege for Dartmouth Health to join with city leaders and our healthcare colleagues in supporting this critical effort. The health consequences of homelessness, both to unhoused people and the community at large, are well documented, but not unfixable. Especially for the most vulnerable among those experiencing homelessness—the elderly and those with serious physical and mental illness—shelter in winter, as this initiative will provide, is literally a lifeline.”