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Grants Pass council revokes grant approvals for MINT properties after inspectors flag building deficiencies
Summary
The Grants Pass City Council voted to disapprove a building inspection and revoke previously approved grant funding tied to two properties MINT planned to use for unhoused navigation and shelter services, citing infrastructure and title concerns in staff inspection reports.
The Grants Pass City Council voted to disapprove the building inspection and revoke the city's grant approvals tied to two properties MINT (Mobile Integrated Navigation Team) had planned to use for a navigation center and low-barrier shelter, city staff said. The vote removes the city's path to disburse previously authorized grant dollars for 220 and 210 Redwood Highway.
City Manager Aaron (city manager) told council MINT had requested financial support for purchase of two parcels at 220 and 210 Redwood Highway. Council had previously authorized two grants: $460,000 for a 0.55-acre lot with two structures (referred to in council materials and public discussion as the 220 property) and up to $200,000 for an adjacent vacant parcel. Those awards were aimed at enabling a low-barrier congregate shelter, pallet shelters, an urban campground and a navigation center, with potential capacity cited in applications of roughly 40 congregate beds and additional pallet or campground capacity.
A condition in the grant agreements required the city's written approval before award disbursement if property title or condition raised concerns. Staff recently received an inspection report that they characterized as showing significant deficiencies in the buildings. Aaron said city staff were treating the proposed grants from a lender's perspective because, under the agreements, if the grantee defaulted the property could revert to the city. Staff asked council to decide whether to proceed with approval or seek other options.
Public comment ran nearly an hour and included dozens of residents, nonprofit volunteers and healthcare representatives. Supporters of MINT described the organization's role in getting people into treatment and providing navigation services for veterans, elderly and medically frail people. Volunteer Leah Swanson said MINT had provided appraisals and a licensed inspection and that contractors and inspectors had returned and approved some corrective work; other speakers, including business owners near the 220 Redwood location, described crime, ongoing methamphetamine and fentanyl activity, and safety hazards they said were worsened by locating services at that site.
Council deliberated on motions tied to the inspection approval. Councilor Dwayne moved to disapprove the building inspection approval that would allow disbursement for the property at 220 Redwood Highway; another motion (treated as contingent because the sales were cross-contingent) then removed funding for the 210 Redwood Highway grant. The council voted to disapprove the inspection/revoke the grant for 220 Redwood Highway and to withhold funding for 210 Redwood Highway due to contingency, with both motions passing by 5-2 tally.
The actions stop city disbursement of the grant awards pending any further workshops or revised proposals. City staff said the grants were originally structured to permit the city manager authority to distribute funds only after required approvals; the council's votes remove that immediate distribution authority and return the items to council-level direction. Council members who supported the motions cited the inspection findings and fiscal risk to the city; those opposed emphasized urgency to preserve MINT's shelter operations and asked for more time or alternative sites.
MINT volunteers and allied nonprofits said they remain willing to work with staff on fixes and to find alternative locations; a county healthcare official urged council to consider how emptying services would remove access to Medicaid and other programs MINT was positioned to administer. Aaron told council staff would return with options if council wanted workshops or an alternative funding path.
The council did not adopt new funding or alternative sites at the meeting. The city manager and staff will now follow council's direction reflected in the votes and report back with next steps, which could include further workshops, negotiation of sale contingencies, or formal amendment of the prior grant/resolution actions.
