The City Commission directed staff to place a services‑agreement for Jubilee House on the Aug. 4 agenda after a presentation Tuesday night describing the day shelter’s expanded operations and a request for short‑term funding.
Derek Quinn, outreach coordinator at Grace Episcopal Church, told the commission that Jubilee House is Traverse City’s only dedicated day shelter for people experiencing homelessness and that operations have expanded sharply since 2022, from about 38 daily sign‑ins to an average of 102 per day so far in 2025. He said the ministry now has a full‑time director, two part‑time outreach specialists and increased supply costs. “All told, our ministry costs just over $200,000 a year,” Quinn said, and the group is asking the city to provide runway to the end of the year while it pursues grants and county funding.
Commissioners discussed funding alternatives, county engagement and longer‑term sustainability. Commissioner Jackie Treadwell moved and the commission voted to direct the city manager to place a services agreement with Jubilee House, in the amount of $102,256, on the Aug. 4 meeting agenda so the commission can consider a contract and associated budget amendment. The motion passed without objection.
Quinn said Jubilee House has applied to local foundations and grant programs and has already received a $10,000 gift from the Schmuckold Family Foundation; the shelter also plans to pursue county opioid‑settlement and cannabis‑tax funds. He and other speakers said a permanent, year‑round shelter remains a broader community need and that Jubilee House seeks interim support while larger funding and operational plans are finalized.
What the city will do next: staff will prepare a services agreement and a budget amendment for the Aug. 4 meeting; if the commission approves the agreement, the city will contract with Jubilee House for specified services and reporting requirements. The commission requested a future briefing summarizing total city and partner spending on homelessness services and an update from the homelessness task force to show how the Jubilee House request fits into the wider approach to shelter and supportive services.