Catholic Community Services proposes takeover of Good Neighbor shelter; city asked for up to $301,898 bridge funding

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona (CCS) told the Sierra Vista City Council at a work session it is prepared to assume operations of the Good Neighbor Alliance (GNA) homeless shelter and asked the city for bridge funding capped at $301,898 to keep the shelter open while CCS pursues Medicaid billing and other revenue sources.

CCS executives Elena Dwyer, chief executive officer, and Terrence Watkins, executive director of Housing and Medical Respite Services, outlined plans to keep the shelter open seven days a week, expand case management and behavioral-health services, seek licensure and Medicaid reimbursement, and pursue grants and other public funding. The city’s draft program agreement would distribute funding across three fiscal years and require invoiced, verifiable expenses before reimbursements are paid.

The request matters because Good Neighbor Alliance has been operating with a structural budget gap. CCS said GNA’s most generous donation year produced about $180,000 in contributions against roughly $313,000 in personnel costs, producing a personnel shortfall of about $133,000; when utilities, food and other operating costs are included CCS estimated the annual operating deficit approaches $200,000. CCS described its takeover plan as a multi-year transition that combines additional staffing, case management and new revenue streams to reduce that shortfall.

CCS described immediate operational changes it would…