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Cumberland County authorizes short-term shelter contract after Salvation Army closure
Summary
Following the April 15 closure of the Salvation Army shelter, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners authorized a short-term sheltering plan to replace lost beds, approve contracting up to $400,000, and begin implementation using existing funds while finalizing funding sources.
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on May 8 authorized the county manager to contract for a three-month, short-term sheltering plan after the Salvation Army closed its local emergency shelter, leaving roughly 50 to 60 beds out of service.
Assistant County Manager Heather Skeems told commissioners the county immediately identified interim options after the April 15 closure. “Due to this closure, our county has currently come up with a short term solution for the loss of those 50 to 60 beds in our community,” Skeems said, outlining a mix of options including use of a faith-based partner and hotel rooms.
The nut of the plan is twofold: a faith-based partner that has a 50-bed capacity and is willing to operate Monday through Friday at a flat rate of $100 per person, and reserved hotel rooms for women and families. Skeems said the faith-based partner’s set-up makes it difficult to house women or families there, so hotels would be used for those populations. She said Manna currently operates about 20 to 22 men’s beds and the domestic violence shelter houses only women and children.
Skeems told the board community development currently has about $148,546 available across several programs and that the county would need “an additional approximately $306,454 to cover 3 months of a shelter plan” while staff pursue intermediate solutions. Commissioners discussed timing: staff said they could implement the plan as early as the following week if the board approves and that the white-flag partner extended its originally proposed two-month commitment to three months.
After discussion about funding sources and the need to act quickly because of immediate public health and safety concerns, the board approved a motion to authorize the county manager to contract for temporary emergency sheltering, not to exceed $400,000, and to place the item on the consent agenda for the May 19 meeting. Commissioners also accepted friendly amendments allowing staff to begin implementation using available funds before the May 19 board vote and specifying that a portion of the requested funds be allocated from ARP general fund assigned fund balance with remaining funds coming from existing available funds. The board voted unanimously on the motion.
County Manager Grier and staff said the short-term plan is intended to buy time while the county seeks a longer-term shelter solution, including a permanent support center. Commissioners asked staff to continue dialogue with the Salvation Army about reopening or other long-term options.
The board asked that the item return on the May 19 consent agenda for final ratification and directed staff to pursue contracts and room blocks to ensure immediate bed availability.
Ending: The county described the plan as a three-month bridge to mitigate the gap left by the Salvation Army closure while staff pursue longer-term shelter options and continue negotiations with the Salvation Army and other partners. The board did not set a longer-term funding commitment at the May 8 meeting and directed staff to return with updates when the item appears on the May 19 consent agenda.
