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Council debates homeless outreach contract amid business concerns; vote to defer two weeks
Summary
Council members debated funding and staffing for street outreach teams contracted through a nonprofit (referred to as Mental Health Association/Key to Home partnership). Concerns centered on transient crime and whether outreach staffing is sufficient; council voted 6–3 to defer the contract for two weeks for further information.
The city council heard an extended discussion about a proposed contract amendment to continue funding contracted street outreach teams that provide direct contact, case management and encampment services for people experiencing homelessness. Council members expressed support for outreach but flagged business impacts from transient crime and requested additional detail on funding and staffing. The council voted to defer the item for two weeks, 6–3.
What was proposed and who is involved City staff and program planners described the contract as work that supplements police-led efforts by connecting people living outside to housing and services, assisting during encampment closures, and conducting ongoing outreach to build relationships that lead to housing placements.
Jared Shady, program planner for homeless services, summarized the program’s role: it ‘‘serves all clients’’ and participates in Key to Home activities even though the contractor is described as the Mental Health Association. Jamie (street outreach team lead) told the council the outreach operation includes five teams totaling 10 people for the street outreach functions and a separate housing-focused outreach team that follows up weekly and works intensively during encampment rehousing initiatives.
Funding and accounting questions Council members raised questions about the contract amount and funding sources. City staff clarified that the apparent increase did not represent a net addition to the overall program budget; a $75,000 portion previously budgeted from federal ESG funds is now identified from opioid-abatement funds for program elements that address addiction-related crises. Staff said the ESG contract remains separate.
Staff and council emphasized distinctions between outreach and enforcement. Staff described a small homeless outreach unit within police that can engage in enforcement when necessary and noted that outreach is not an enforcement activity: ‘‘this is really trying to make the connection, build the trust, build the relationship so we can help get people into services and housing,’’ a staff speaker said.
Council debate and key positions - Councilman Stone and other council members repeatedly expressed concerns about transient crime and business impacts in specific wards and asked for more data and clarity on how outreach work will address enforcement-related problems. - Councilman Carter urged continued and increased support for outreach teams, warned against ending services (citing Salt Lake City as an example where scaling back outreach preceded a rise in homelessness), and encouraged scaling the teams beyond the current staffing. - Resident speakers, including Wendy Hampton, executive director of the Western Avenue Association, urged approval and said their district had experienced serious business impacts from homelessness and wanted more caseworkers in the field.
Operational details and performance Staff provided performance figures: the housing-focused outreach team’s encampment rehousing initiative aims to move people into housing within about 4–6 weeks when sites are selected for closure. Staff said, overall, about 93% of people living in encampments who were offered housing have accepted it (figures described as program-wide approximations). These acceptance rates were provided in response to a council question about a specific past encampment.
Vote and next steps Councilmember Carter moved to proceed with the partnership recommendation; several councilmembers sought more information and requested a short deferral to review program accounting and funding sources. The motion to defer the item for two weeks passed 6–3. Staff were directed to provide clearer accounting of all program funding (including ESG and opioid-abatement funds), staffing levels, and outcomes to the council before returning the item.
Ending The council’s two-week deferral will allow staff to supply requested financial breakdowns and performance data and for councilmembers to meet with staff and stakeholders about enforcement coordination and business impacts. The item is scheduled to return at the next meeting with the requested documentation.
