Fife jobs program reports housing and employment gains; staff warn of funding deadline

City staff updated the council on Feb. 11 about the city’s jobs program, reporting recent housing placements, employment outcomes and ongoing case-management services designed to connect people experiencing homelessness to work and housing.

Norman Brickhouse, the city’s community navigator manager, briefed council on the program’s model and outcomes. "Our mission is to end homelessness and fight in the surrounding areas by providing job training, resources, transitional housing to break that cycle of homelessness," Brickhouse said. He described a multi-level, merit-based training pathway (trainee → level 1 → level 2 → level 3) and a parallel pathway for office/clerical skill building.

Key data from Brickhouse’s report (as stated in the meeting): since the last presentation the program enrolled nine new participants; three were removed for repeated violations; one lacked I‑9 documentation; currently seven people are active in the program; the program has moved participants through leadership levels (one to level 2 and others to level 3); four individuals had previously been reported to have moved into housing, and Brickhouse later said five individuals have obtained housing; four participants attained employment; three participants had obtained driver’s licenses and he later added a fifth; the Port of Tacoma grant and outreach efforts helped house nine people; the program served 87 individuals overall. Brickhouse said the program has been operating more than two years, beginning in October 2021, and that he joined the program on Dec. 30, 2022.

Brickhouse highlighted common barriers the program addresses—substance use, gambling, food and hygiene—and said the program leverages multiple partners for substance-abuse and behavioral-health support and short-term training (flagger certification, EMT classes and similar programs). He also described financial coaching and housing navigation intended to help participants sustain housing after placement.

Council members asked for clarifications on housing outcomes, the program’s training-to-education pathway and family reunification. Deputy Mayor Murphy asked whether the 9–12 month track toward jobs or education included longer-term credentialing; Brickhouse said it could include short-term training paid for through workforce programs such as WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and scholarships. He said family reunification often happens organically and that staff continue to provide follow-up after participants leave the program.

Funding risk: in the city manager’s report, City Manager Derek Matheson said he had discussed a partial funding swap with Pierce County’s interim human services director and stressed the city’s need to secure a pending federal earmark: "…our absolutely critical need to get the $3,500,000 federal earmark for the jobs program before current funding expires on June 30," Matheson said. Council members and staff flagged the funding as time-sensitive.

Program staff and council praised cross-departmental and regional partnerships, and Brickhouse credited city employees, nonprofit partners and funders for outcomes. There were no formal motions on the item; staff said they would continue program operations and monitoring and return with future updates.