Title
Approval of a Funding Request for Salvation Army Shelter Operations
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a one-time funding request of $66,000 for Salvation Army shelter operations and to maintain critically needed shelter bed capacity for homeless single adults.
Report
Issue:
Whether to maintain the Salvation Army’s current level of year-round shelter capacity, currently providing 29 percent of the capacity for homeless single adults.
Staff Contact:
Anna Schlecht, Community Service Programs Manager, Community Planning & Development Department, 360-753-8183
Keith Stahley, Director, Community Planning & Development Department, 360-753-8227
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
Salvation Army is one of the primary homeless shelter service providers for single childless adults for both the year-round shelter capacity as well as the cold weather shelter capacity. They recently discovered a $267,000 short fall in their year-round shelter program. This shortfall drastically impacts the network of shelter capacity and could potentially put an additional 37 people on the street. Since this discovery, they have secured $50,000 from City of Lacey, $17,000 from International Salvation Army reserves. They are working with Thurston County to secure an additional $65,000 from their emergency homeless funding. They also have a pending request for $20,000 from Tumwater. The remainder will come from a private fundraising effort currently underway. The attached letter describes their shortfall and presents their funding plan.
Shelter Capacity: The Salvation Army provides 37 year-round beds for single adults, which is 18 percent of the total shelter beds and 29 percent of the total 129 for single adults. They provide 65 total cold weather beds during the cold weather season of November 1 - April 30, which is 22 percent of the total available beds and 37 percent of the total 177 beds for single adults.
This year, the Salvation Army plans to open up its church building at 4th Avenue and Central Street to offer approximately 30 additional beds in the event of hazardous weather (i.e. deep freeze, wind storm, etc…).
Day Center and Meal Services: Salvation Army is working with our Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to relocate their kitchen and dining facility to accommodate double the number of guests for their meal service and to serve as a new day center. This project is not affected by their funding shortfall.
Fund source #003-4601: In 1991, the City created a Low Income Housing Fund or #003-4601, using general fund monies. The original intent was to utilize the program income for other housing projects. In 2014, the Council passed an ordinance to expand the uses of the program income from this fund to include other CDBG-eligible uses. Funding for shelter operations is CDBG eligible.
History of Salvation Army: Salvation Army has been active in Olympia since 1889 with a mission of “Doing the most good” for local citizens in need. In 1990, Salvation Army opened the region’s second homeless shelter, following the Bread & Roses’ Hospitality House which was founded in 1981. Initially, the Salvation Army operated outside the network of secular social services. In recent years, the local Salvation Army leadership has forged closer working relationships with other service providers and has modified their service model to align with current standards of low-barrier shelter and non-discrimination. At present, Salvation Army is a strong member of the Thurston Thrives Homeless Housing Hub and is entirely comfortable with signing our City of Olympia Non-Discrimination Statement.
Unique from most other homeless service providers, Salvation Army has not been a perennial recipient of government funding. The recent CDBG funding award for the Day Center constitutes their first ever contract with local government.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
All neighborhoods have a compelling interest in maintaining the maximum number of available shelter beds to accommodate our homeless citizens. Absent these shelter beds, there could potentially be another 37 people on the streets, which could add to neighborhood concern about unsheltered and unmanaged homelessness.
Options:
1. Move to approve one-time funding request of $66,000 from Fund #003-4601 for Salvation Army shelter operations and maintain critically needed shelter bed capacity for homeless single adults.
2. Do not move to approve one-time funding of $66,000 for Salvation Army Shelter operations and lose critically needed shelter bed capacity, potentially leaving 37 people on the streets.
3. Consider some other means of supporting the Salvation Army’s request.
Financial Impact:
This funding request will use $66,000 from the City’s Fund #003-4601 Low Income Housing Loan Account.
Attachments:
Salvation Army Letter of Request
2018 - 2019 Thurston County Shelter Network