Salvation Army updates Barron County board on Highway TT transitional housing; larger building to be demolished, 32-bed shelter planned

Ken Trigales, service extension director for The Salvation Army, told the Barron County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 19 that work on a transitional housing project on County Highway TT is moving forward after COVID-era delays and unexpected building hazards. Trigales said The Salvation Army has secured Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, private donations and internal funds to buy and renovate the site and that remediation of environmental hazards already found in the larger former nursing-home building has been completed.

The Salvation Army plans to finish renovation of a smaller house on the property and begin sheltering people there within “the next couple of months,” Trigales said. He described the house as having three large bedrooms, three full bathrooms, full accessibility and a shared kitchen and living area; it will be staffed 24 hours a day and be able to shelter up to 12 individuals per night while family placements are handled by a partner agency until the entire campus is complete. "It is completely handicap accessible," Trigales said.

Trigales said contractors uncovered asbestos, structural damage and water problems when they inspected the larger building. Remediation work was completed immediately, he said, and, on professional recommendation, The Salvation Army has contracted to demolish that building and will rebid construction of a new facility under CDBG procurement rules. "We have a signed contract for demolition to begin here in the very near future," he said. After demolition and a rebid, the plan is a new building that will increase capacity to serve individuals; Trigales told the board the completed site will provide a total of 32 beds (including the house and the new building).

Trigales described the program model and local partnerships: the house will be used initially to shelter individuals while the Benjamin House in Rice Lake will handle families until the larger building is completed; The Salvation Army will staff the site around the clock and operate a casework program designed to help residents stabilize and move to permanent housing. He said the group will form an oversight committee that will include county representatives, The Salvation Army and the project architect and that the committee will meet every couple of weeks during construction.

Trigales provided program metrics to illustrate local need and usage since the property purchase: 109 clients served, about 4,670 bed nights provided via motels and shelters, 71 households served and eight families transitioned to permanent homes. He described the delays (COVID, material shortages, environmental findings) as “facts” that slowed the schedule but said the need for services has not changed.

Board members asked clarifying questions during the presentation. Supervisor Olsen asked whether the 32-bed figure included the house’s 12 beds; Trigales replied that 32 is the campus total and that the house’s 12 are included in that number. Supervisor Schragel asked whether 32 would be sufficient for local demand; Trigales said on-site staff and casework allow more intensive services than motel placements and that additional needs could still be served with motel space as necessary. The board also learned The Salvation Army will rebid the larger building per CDBG rules and that demolition can proceed after environmental documentation cleared.

The item concluded with the board being told a formal oversight-committee structure would appear on a future agenda and that the project would return to the county’s schedule as construction milestones and funding steps are finalized.

Why it matters: The project adds permanent local shelter capacity and a casework model the presenters said will improve success in moving people from homelessness to stable housing. The county’s involvement includes use of CDBG funding and an oversight role during construction and operations.

What’s next: The Salvation Army expects to finish the house for immediate occupancy within months, will proceed with demolition and a rebid for the larger facility under CDBG guidelines, and will present oversight-committee details and further contract/budget items to the county in later meetings.