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UCAN director: navigation center housed about 115 people in six months; congregate shelter full, waitlist nearly 400
Summary
Holly Pyfield, UCAN director of housing stabilization, reported the navigation center served roughly 115 people in the past six months, with a 35-person congregate shelter at capacity and a waitlist of 396. UCAN said most funding pays staffing; the agency reported limited permanent housing placements so far.
Holly Pyfield, director of housing stabilization for UCAN, told the commission that in the last six months the navigation center has served about 115 individuals and helped about 15 into permanent housing.
"It is a low barrier shelter," Pyfield said, adding that the site operates 10 pods and a congregate shelter that can hold up to 35 people and currently is full. She said the navigation center maintains a waitlist of 396 people seeking services.
Pyfield said UCAN provides three meals a day and on-site staff 24 hours a day. "Most of our funding goes towards staffing the navigation center," she said, and staff focus on case management tasks such as obtaining identification, securing employment and reunifying families.
She told commissioners UCAN also runs a warming center this winter and has activated it 22 days this season, averaging about 25 people per activation; UCAN reported five people rehoused after warming-center activations. Pyfield said the navigation center rehoused about 15 people to permanent placements, reunified four to five families and transferred about five people to drug and alcohol treatment programs in the past six months.
Commissioners and staff praised UCAN's work during the presentation. Commissioner Sean Pritchard called the agency's efforts "above board," and staff said data show fewer on-site behavioral incidents since the shelter hired a new manager.
The presentation left several implementation details unspecified: the agency did not enumerate total budget amounts, the breakdown of funding sources, nor the average length of stay for people who moved into permanent housing. Pyfield said UCAN's funding requirements for meals contributed to operating costs but did not list specific grants or dollar totals.
UCAN staff said they aim to coordinate with informal community camps when possible, but Pyfield said she could not confirm how often direct referrals occur between private camps and UCAN programs.
The commission heard the update as an information item; there was no formal action on UCAN's report.
