Chandler staff seek extensions for hotel shelter contracts; cite high exit rate and summer heat relief

City staff on Sept. 15 briefed the Chandler City Council in a study session about proposed contract amendments (Agreement No. 4638, Amendment 2 and Agreement No. 4758, Amendment 3) to continue two hotel partnerships used for Operation Open Door, the city’s non‑congregate shelter program.

Ryan Balch, acting neighborhood resources director, said the program began in 2020 when congregate options were limited and has continued to provide low‑barrier overnight shelter for people who are older, disabled or families with children. Balch told council the program’s purpose is to provide immediate safety, intensive case management and a pathway to permanent housing or to a more robust emergency shelter appropriate for families.

Program details presented by staff included the nightly block of rooms the city maintains: 15 one‑bedroom units and 10 two‑bedroom units. Staff said contracted flat rates for the vendor hotels remain competitive: approximately $105 per night for one‑bedroom units and $140 per night for two‑bedroom units. Balch said the average length of stay last year was about 80 days and that the program achieved a 96% successful exit rate to permanent housing or to the next‑step shelter.

Staff also described summer operations: the city partnered with Ascend (a local service provider) and other internal teams to operate a low‑barrier heat‑relief shelter at the senior center and reported filling 40 overnight spaces nightly during peak periods. Balch said staff believe the overnight shelter saved lives during extreme heat and that many participants later transferred into longer‑term programs such as the city’s iHealth program.

Council members asked about raw counts and trends. Staff provided multiple figures in the presentation: at one point Balch said the program served “about 353 families” in the previous year; at another point staff cited serving “182 households” and “over 350 individuals” during the same referenced period. The transcript shows both sets of figures in staff remarks; staff did not provide an on‑the‑record reconciliation during the study session and said final program totals are still being compiled.

The amendments were presented in the study session for council questions; no formal vote was taken that night. Staff said the amendments will be placed on an upcoming council agenda for formal approval.