New shelter reports 134 unique clients since October; county funding and residency questions raised

A shelter opened in October and has operated as a low‑barrier daytime/nighttime resource for people experiencing homelessness, Grand Forks County officials were told. Program leaders described the shelter’s operations, client mix, staffing training, and funding sources during a presentation to the county commission.

Katie Jo Armbrust, identified in the meeting as program director for program development and advocacy at the housing authority (presenter), said the shelter transitioned from an earlier social‑detox model and now accepts referrals and self‑referrals 24/7 for people who have nowhere else to go. Armbrust said the facility is small — bunk beds in two rooms and portable beds in a third — and that staff perform intake, case management and coordinated referrals with community partners including local health and social‑service agencies.

Armbrust said the shelter has served 134 unique individuals since it opened in October. She provided a breakdown of client needs: about 45% have a mental‑health condition, roughly 21% have chronic health conditions or physical disability, and about 20% have a substance‑use disorder. She said approximately 82% of shelter stays were under 30 days; three individuals had stays longer than 90 days but under 100. Armbrust said the shelter does not impose a strict maximum length of stay because housing placement often depends on document readiness (IDs, certifications) and coordination with other agencies.

Armbrust described the shelter as “low barrier” and said it allows people to enter under the influence; she stated that this is the primary operational difference between the shelter and other community programs.

On funding, Armbrust said the only guaranteed funding for 2026 at the time of the meeting was from the Northeast Human Service Center. City budgeted $130,000 for the project and the shelter applies for additional grant funding. She said the housing authority and local partners are pursuing multiple funding streams and committed to return to the commission to “reduce the funding” request if additional grant resources are secured.

Commissioners asked for clearer residency data separating city residents from county residents; Armbrust said the majority of clients are from the Grand Forks area but that the shelter’s intake did not previously separate city vs. county residency and staff would work to capture that information going forward. Chief Friedman of the Grand Forks Police Department was present and described the police department as a supporter of the shelter for welfare checks and referrals.

Commissioners also asked about capacity during extreme cold. Armbrust said the shelter had been over capacity on several nights during cold weather and that the operators worked with nonprofit partners to secure hotel space or refer people to other shelters when possible.

The commission received the update; a separate funding contract for 2025 budgeted funds related to the shelter was later approved on the consent agenda after staff review.