Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
County shelter operators report record winter demand; urge planning for east-side family site
Summary
Alpha House and the Shelter Association told commissioners they are seeing large increases in families and individuals seeking shelter this winter, describing expanded capacity, case management efforts and urgent need for a longer-term east-side facility and transition plan.
Alpha House and the Shelter Association told the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22 that demand for emergency shelter has surged this winter and that short-term measures are straining staff and capacity.
At a working-session update, Shona Teruza of Alpha House said the program converted office space into bedrooms and expanded from serving six families at a time to accommodating as many as 14 family units after renovations completed late in 2024. Teruza said Alpha House launched a winter “weather” program in November and, with county winter-shelter funding, hired four staff and three social-work interns to provide shelter, meals and case management for families that arrive through school liaisons, partner agencies…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
