Tompkins committee hears shelter concerns and Code Blue data; Continuum of Care readies point-in-time count

A public commenter and county staff on Thursday urged a broader array of shelter options and better navigation services for people experiencing homelessness, as Tompkins County Department of Social Services officials reported recent Code Blue shelter use and the county Continuum of Care previewed its January point-in-time count.

Amanda Kirschessner, a member of the public, told the Housing & Economic Development Committee that current downtown sheltering concentrates different populations and can amplify conflicts. "Putting it near the jungle where a lot of active drug use is happening is a really bad idea," she said, urging separate shelter solutions for people with active substance-use disorders, families and other vulnerable groups.

Why it matters: Committee members heard both community concerns and agency data showing continuing demand for emergency shelter. The Continuum of Care (CoC) and DSS staff said the county is preparing operationally for the federally required point-in-time count and for implementation of a new Medicaid housing waiver that could affect local housing services.

Liddy Barger, director of housing initiatives at Human Services Coalition and the county CoC coordinator, said the CoC is beginning a governance nominating period and will hold a "CoC 101" briefing in March. She also outlined the point-in-time schedule: the unsheltered count will be performed by outreach partners on Jan. 29, and the CoC-wide activities will take place during the week of Jan. 23. "2023 was our highest number ever, at 273 people experiencing homelessness on the night of our point in time count," Barger said, adding that 2024's count was 210 and 2022's was 152.

Kit Kephart, commissioner of the Department of Social Services, provided Code Blue shelter statistics for late November through late December. "We have had 59 unduplicated people who have stayed at the Code Blue shelter at some point," Kephart said. She reported daily shelter occupancy around 30 to 32 people and said 71 people intermittently stayed in Code Blue between Nov. 26 and Dec. 31 (a non-duplicated count covers a different date range). Kephart added the shelter population included "50 men and 14 women" in that period and that about 35 people self-reported various disabilities.

Committee members questioned staff about services often raised by the public, including access to showers. Kephart said county staff had discussed options with community partners and the YMCA, but partners must screen and sometimes exclude individuals with certain risk factors. She also described technical and safety challenges with mobile shower trucks—"most of the shower trucks have doors all the way around"—that complicate securing them and monitoring users for medical emergencies or overdoses.

Several legislators and staff emphasized the importance of distinguishing shelter types (families vs. single adults vs. people with behavioral-health needs) and reminded the committee that OTDA (New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance) tightly regulates family shelters and separate staffing and safety requirements apply when families and single adults are sheltered at the same site.

Ending: The committee heard appeals for more navigation services and multiple shelter models. CoC and DSS officials said they will continue outreach, proceed with the point-in-time count later this month, and pursue additional shelter sites and hotel partners while exploring shower and hygiene solutions with community partners.