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Clark County, Vancouver interlocal would fund bridge shelter; county to provide $2.1M in capital support
Summary
Staff reported an interlocal agreement with the City of Vancouver that would allocate $2.1 million from the county’s mental health sales tax fund toward construction of a bridge shelter; the opioid abatement council will contract an additional $2.85 million for capital support.
County staff told the Clark County Council on Wednesday that the City of Vancouver approved an interlocal agreement that would direct $2,100,000 of county mental health sales tax funds to support capital construction of a bridge shelter run by the city. Jordan Bogie, senior policy analyst, said the agreement will return to council next Tuesday for final consideration.
“This will be coming back to you next Tuesday for final consideration,” Bogie said, describing reporting and outcome measures the city must provide if the agreement is approved. Bogie said the shelter is expected to open services and be eligible for capital support beginning July 27 under recent changes to state law (Senate Bill 5696), which allow certain mental health sales tax funds to be used for capital construction of behavioral-health-related facilities.
Bogie said the City of Vancouver plans a roughly 120-bed bridge shelter and that the interlocal would reserve up to 30% of beds for Clark County residents living outside Vancouver city limits for the first four years; after that period beds will be available to county residents on an as-available basis.
Bogie also reported that the county’s opioid abatement council is negotiating a separate $2,850,000 contract with the city to provide additional capital support. The interlocal will include reporting requirements tied to the mental health sales tax fund, including use of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), counts of people served, services accessed, and outcomes such as exits to stable housing.
Council members asked whether the project had been procured through a request for proposals. Bogie said no external RFP was run for 2025; council previously directed staff to allocate funds for the facility as part of a February council decision. Bogie said the allocation is a one-time capital contribution and that the city anticipates a 10-year projected lifetime for the shelter.
The interlocal will return for council action at the next regular meeting.
