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Council discusses homelessness response and affordable housing options including tiny houses and partner shelters
Summary
Councilmembers reviewed efforts to dismantle a long-standing encampment, noted progress and remaining needs on affordable housing, and discussed partnering with nonprofits and county resources to provide shelter and housing options.
Councilmembers and staff discussed the city's ongoing response to homelessness, recent actions to clear a persistent encampment, and several housing strategies including tiny houses, rehabilitation placements and coordination with nonprofit shelters.
Interim City Manager Matt Livingston said the council had made the issue a priority and noted the city had "disbanded the tent city area," while acknowledging the work is incomplete. A councilmember said the closure of the encampment led some people to enter rehabs or move into shelters, and noted the Salvation Army has considered reopening shelter services. "We are a city that we actually have great resources for the unhoused community; they just have to want the resources," one councilmember said.
Council discussion emphasized that homelessness is a countywide challenge: speakers said the unhoused population moves across municipal and county boundaries and that solutions will require nonprofit partners and county collaboration. Councilmembers also discussed using redevelopment opportunities and vacant properties to expand housing options and cited HUD and CDBG funding rules when describing how affordable housing programs are administered.
Affordable housing and workforce housing were discussed as related but distinct topics. Councilmembers asked for clarity on definitions; staff noted that federal Consolidated Block Grant (CDBG) and HUD low- and moderate-income (LMI) rules affect program eligibility and cited criteria used for projects like Habitat for Humanity lots and housing authority replacement units.
No new funding decisions or formal votes were recorded in the excerpt; councilmembers asked staff to continue pursuing partnerships and to include homelessness and housing in the retreat priority ranking.
