Our new shelter will have space for 250 people, but last winter we had nearly 400 people stay at the shelter in one night.
I’m tempted to type “That is all” and be done. That’s a stunning statement that stands on its own.
HARD LIMIT OF 250 PEOPLE
In the meetings I’ve been to I have heard both Porchlight and City staff say that this is a hard limit, they will not allow more than 250 people in the shelter. Currently, they just let everyone in and that is why they had 390ish people in the shelter in one night over this last winter.
RETURNING TO A 90 NIGHT LIMIT PER YEAR
And . . . they may be returning to the 90 night limit for people staying in the shelter to limit people staying there. This 90 day limit was eliminated 5(?) years ago. When they did have it they did allow exceptions for cold weather nights (less than 20 degrees) but if you have used your 90 days and its above 20 degrees, you would be turned away, even if they had beds available.
DOES THIS FEEL FAMILIAR?
When they built the Beacon day shelter, they built a ridiculously small family room that is nearly unusable and built the space for 125 people. But this last winter they regularly had 200 people there.
Advocates at the time said it was too small. We were ignored.
WHAT IS PLAN B?
So, next winter when the shelter opens, what’s the plan for the 150 people who can’t get into shelter, or maybe 250 people since we are losing 100 places for people to stay.
- 8 Porchlight SRO (Single Room Occupancy) units
- 11 – 15 Tellurian SRO units
- 32 Porchlight units (87 single room occupancy rooms (SROs) and 15 efficiency units)
- 20-40 Rethke/Enso units (and in reality, its higher than that as the units still sit empty while they are taking applications to fill them a year later)
- 29 Madison Street Medicine campground cabins
Or maybe 350? Or more if what is reported in these posts happen
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Are we going to lose another 114 rental subsidies for houseless persons?
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And then Trump’s Budget blows up homeless services altogether
And likely more since we had an 18% increase in houselessness last year, and I expect the same or more increase again this year.
So what’s the plan? Who’s talking about this? What solutions are being discussed? City? County? Community? What’s the plan? The train wreck is coming . . .