Wednesday, May 28, 2025–10:50 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
On Tuesday, Rome City Commissioners took a tour of Brother’s Place on Maple Avenue.
The men’s home was envisioned by TK and Claudia Hamilton.
The 12– 18-month program is aimed at empowering, equipping, and enriching the lives of men; it enables them to confidently transition into independent living.
“We were fortunate as a city to have access to funds that we were able to invest in that program to help,” said Rome City Manager Sammy Rich. “They are about to move in their first four men into what is transitional housing. We hear daily concerns about homelessness, and that is not lost on us as a city. As you know, we didn’t get to where we are overnight, but this is a really shining star example of what is actually being done.”
Rich hopes that Brother’s Place can become a model for other programs.
“The reality is we don’t have enough of this, so it’s going to be a great example to see,” he said. “They’ve got proven quantities, and they’ve got great staff in place. The commission was able to go tour and see where the investments went. Suffice to say, they have done an amazing job, and I think we are going to receive good news out of that.”
To be eligible for the program, men must be 18 years of age or older, willing and able to work and volunteer in the community, willing to follow and complete a customized case plan, submit to random drug and alcohol testing, attend spiritually-oriented and/or mutual support groups, understand and adhere to the housing guidelines, including curfew, completion of assigned chores, and handling conflicts efficiently.
