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County staff to post homeless housing plan ahead of commissioners presentation; public urges use of juvenile center for mental‑health beds
Summary
Health and Human Services staff said a draft of Cowlitz County’s homeless housing plan will be posted online early next week for public review and that the task force will present the plan to commissioners at an upcoming workshop.
County Health and Human Services staff said the Cowlitz County Homeless Housing Task Force is close to finalizing a local plan and that staff will post the draft for public review before the board sees it.
Gina (Health and Human Services) told the meeting: “The plan will be available ahead of the workshop…we're gonna post it at that point. So, first part of next week, hopefully, we'll have it posted on our website.” She said the county will also schedule a formal public hearing and may hold open-house sessions to gather public input before commissioners act.
The meeting record shows board correspondence that included a Sept. 23 appointment letter naming Bobby Day to the homeless housing tax force for a two‑year term through September 2027. Commissioners said the task force is preparing a plan the county must submit to the state as part of eligibility for Department of Commerce funding.
During public comment, multiple speakers pressed commissioners to accelerate options for housing and mental‑health care. One resident proposed selling the county’s juvenile center to a provider that could convert the facility into more beds for people with serious mental illness; the speaker described the center as immediately usable with modest repairs. County officials replied the county has not yet discussed the juvenile center as a formal option with interested providers and that any reuse would require state approvals and further discussion about who would be served.
Commissioners and staff said the task force is examining a multifaceted plan to address street homelessness and family homelessness, and that many members are now looking at individualized action items rather than single solutions. Staff said the plan is intended to support applications for state homeless-housing funds while laying out recommended local actions.
No formal board action was recorded beyond the appointment listed on the consent agenda; staff directed that the task force deliver a public-facing draft and that the county schedule a public hearing and workshop to receive feedback.
