The new Brighter Days emergency homeless shelter is opening tonight in Columbus.

The shelter is a joint project between Love Chapel which will operate the shelter and the Columbus Township Trustee’s office which owns the building on Mapleton Street in the east Columbus neighborhood.

Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson said the shelter is meant only for residents of Bartholomew County who have become homeless. He said that staff will check for residency before allowing a person to spend the night. That could include documents such as drivers’ licenses or as part of the mandatory criminal background check.

The shelter has rules in place to protect the clients, such as not allowing anyone with a recent criminal history of violence to stay there. And the shelter is within 1,000 feet of Pence Street park, which means sex offenders would be violating their parole to stay there.

The 36 bed shelter will house single, adult men and women. Check in begins at 6 p.m. every night, after the free meal sites in town close for the evening. There are no cooking facilities on site, but those who spend the night will be offered a breakfast in the morning and will be be able to shower.

They will also receive social service information and assistance, Jackson said.

On Friday, supporters spent the night at the shelter as a dry run for the actual public opening and as a fundraiser.