Howard County (Map, News) - Families staying in motels, men and women living on the streets, and service providers crowding into inadequate shelter space — all have been anxiously awaiting the much-needed expanded homeless shelter in Howard.

“We can’t wait to get them in here,” said Andrea Ingram, executive director of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, standing in the dining area of the new center on Freemont Road in Columbia.

After nearly 10 years of planning and fundraising, the new Grassroots facility opened with room for additional beds, expanded counseling and crisis intervention services, and a full kitchen.

“It took us a lot longer than we thought,” said Bob Fleishman, president of the Grassroots board of directors, at an event Friday celebrating the opening.

The $5.5 million renovation more than doubled the size of the building to 25,000 square feet. There are 33 beds for women and families and 18 beds for men and additional crisis counseling rooms.

The crisis services will move into the new facility Tuesday, and the shelter residents will move in Thursday, Ingram said.

The rooms Friday still smelled of fresh paint and were awaiting the final pieces of furniture, such as couches and chairs for the common areas.

In 2007, Grassroots, the county’s only emergency shelter, received 1,771 requests for shelter and more than 22,600 contacts through the crisis hot-line.

Funding for the renovation came from dozens of donors as well as county, state and federal grants.

County Executive Ken Ulman called the Grassroots opening “probably the happiest moment of my term in office so far.”

“You almost get a little emotional,” he said, surrounded by community leaders and dignitaries that spilled from the dining area to a tented area outside of the building.

Ingram, who at times choked back tears as she spoke, said Grassroots was committed to using the new building “wisely and generously” and vowed to be a good neighbor to the surrounding residential community.

“We will continue to be a good neighbor to them and respond quickly to any concerns they may have,” she said.

smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com