Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homelessness Housing Navigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City extends housing-navigation and scattered-site contracts through September while state funding is finalized
Summary
Council staff proposed a short-term contract extension for the housing navigation center and scattered-site shelter model through Sept. 30. Empire Health Foundation and Revive continue as operators for the pilot period; staff said state funding requests are in process for longer-term support.
Council staff told the Urban Experience Committee they will ask council to approve an extension of the existing housing navigation and scattered-site shelter contracts from July 1 through Sept. 30 so operations can continue while state funding is finalized.
Councilmember Bridal said the extension will move an existing contract that expires June 30 through the end of September and noted multiple funding streams supported the pilot model, including an ARPA allocation. Staff said roughly $1.8 million remains from the ARPA dollars set aside for the scattered-site pilot and that the extension will not automatically spend that full amount.
Zeke Smith of the Empire Health Foundation, the contract operator, described the pilot as a time-limited demonstration. "We continue to meet with providers across our shelter system and have had focused meetings with the specialized scattered sites to talk more about the referral process between Housing Navigation Center and the scattered sites," he said. Smith said Empire expects to remain the operator through Sept. 30 if the council agrees to the amendment and plans to provide a pilot evaluation at that time.
Committee members asked about longer-term funding. Staff said the city submitted funding worksheets to the Washington State Department of Commerce for the new biennium and is awaiting final award amounts. Staff also said conversations with procurement and legal are ongoing to design next steps for the model beyond the pilot.
No formal council vote was taken in committee; staff said the amendment will return to council for approval and Empire will provide a September report on pilot outcomes and operational recommendations.
