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Days Inn shelter reports early placements; council hears calls for updated homelessness counts and Beacon project progress
Summary
Councilors and residents discussed homelessness services, heard a positive report from a visit to the Days Inn shelter, and public commenters urged clearer counts of unhoused people as Beacon and other projects proceed. Council also listed a CDBG grant application for stormwater work tied to infrastructure and flood mitigation.
Several councilors and members of the public addressed homelessness and shelter efforts during the April 9 committee meeting, with a mix of commendation for recent operational steps at the Days Inn shelter and requests for clearer information about the size of the unhoused population.
Councilor Proskal reported he toured the Days Inn shelter and said staff there are operating multiple security cameras and have at least three security staff on site. He described early success placing three guests into transition housing and obtaining employment for some clients. “I have absolutely nothing negative to report of what's going on there right now,” Proskal said, and encouraged other councilors to visit the facility.
Public comment included requests for clearer counts of people experiencing homelessness in Pottstown. Planning-commission member Brian Heidier told the council he’d heard varying figures — “anywhere from 100 to 250” — and asked whether the borough or county had a definitive count. Heidier said he supported the Beacon project (referred to in public remarks as a planned shelter/assistance project) but wanted data to match the scope of services.
Staff also asked council to authorize submission of a Montgomery County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for $200,000 for a phase-4 stormwater inlet project that would continue earlier drainage improvements. Manager Keller said the borough’s match would be engineering services paid through the authority’s $50,000 annual contribution for flood/drainage issues. Staff listed the CDBG authorization for Monday’s agenda.
Councilors underlined the need for continued coordination among Beacon (Beacon of Hope referenced by event listings and public comment), county social services and nonprofits. One public commenter praised Beacon’s planned services and asked that the borough support the project. No formal council action was taken at the committee meeting regarding homelessness counts or Beacon; staff listed the CDBG grant authorization for Monday’s meeting.
