The Grand Junction City Council unanimously authorized interim agreements on Tuesday to keep critical services for people experiencing homelessness running as the city’s Resource Center reduces hours and prepares to close June 30.

Council adopted two separate resolutions authorizing short‑term contracts: one with Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley to operate a daytime navigation hub and to continue nursing and case management services at its North Avenue shelter, and a second with United Way of Mesa County to coordinate outreach, a water refill and tent replacement program, limited transportation and skills and recovery‑support programming.

Ashley Chambers, the city’s housing supervisor, told council the measures are intended as a bridge while the city completes a competitive request‑for‑proposals process for a comprehensive service provider. “These proposals do fit within the current allocations we had budgeted for the Resource Center,” Chambers said, and staff recommended quarter‑by‑quarter funding with a 30‑day notice provision as the RFP process proceeds.

Homeward Bound’s representative said the agency will open daytime access to showers and storage at the shelter and expand on‑site monitoring and trash removal in adjacent commercial areas to address neighborhood concerns. “We will coordinate very closely between United Way and Sunshine Community and make those counseling and nursing services available,” Bill Wade, chair emeritus of Homeward Bound, said.

United Way described plans to operate an outreach vehicle, run a hotline for businesses and coordinate clinics and transportation that the service community has said will be needed after the resource center closes. “We were awarded a vehicle that we’re going to be using for outreach,” a United Way representative said.

Council approved both agreements by voice vote (7–0). The motions were made by Council member Wynne and seconded by Council member Stout for the Homeward Bound agreement; the United Way agreement was moved by Council member Stout and seconded by Council member Wynne. Council and staff said funding for the short‑term contracts will come from the city’s existing homelessness and housing allocation; staff noted some amounts had been previously earmarked for the resource center and that staff expect the interim contracts to remain within those budget lines while the RFP is evaluated.

Public commenters representing mutual‑aid groups, the Mesa County Collaborative for the Unhoused and other nonprofit providers urged quick, coordinated service so people do not fall through gaps during the closure, and staff said the agreements include coordination requirements and monthly financial reporting to the city. The agreements were authorized for the third quarter with a month‑to‑month option in the fourth quarter while the city evaluates RFP responses and considers longer‑term funding.