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Homelessness prevention director outlines housing, outreach and funding gaps; public calls for shelter and more housing
Summary
The homelessness prevention office presented an end‑of‑year report showing 200 people housed in the past 10 months, expanded outreach and a list of funding and program needs; council members and public commenters urged more shelter capacity and permanent housing.
The mayor president’s homelessness prevention director, Jessica Lewis, presented a recorded report to the Metro Council on Feb. 12 summarizing 10 months of work on encampment cleanups, outreach, shelter coordination and housing placements.
Lewis told the council the office had “housed 200 homeless individuals and an additional 33 through the regular ERAP program,” revamped a “hot team” response and established reserved shelter beds after 4 p.m. She outlined operational gaps and requests for funding, including continued support for a one‑stop daytime shelter (estimated annual need roughly $560,000), encampment cleanup funding ($100,000) and wraparound services tied to permanent supportive housing vouchers.
During the public hearing, advocates and residents urged more permanent housing and cautioned that encampment clearances without housing are ineffective. “The solution for being unsheltered is shelter. Not taking advantage of the grama passed Supreme Court decision, not demonizing, not criminalizing,” said the Rev. Alexis Anderson, who described the need to coordinate services with nonprofits and faith communities. Mary Jane Markantel, a long‑time outreach volunteer, urged officials to accept offers from community partners that could provide housing and job training.
Council members and officials asked fiscal and programmatic questions. Finance staff told the council that most grants the parish draws are cost‑reimbursement and that the parish “has been very successful in drawing down funds,” but warned that federal funding streams can be competitive and subject to change. Responding to a public question about contingency plans if federal reimbursements are delayed, the administration said each grant has differing terms and the parish generally waits to spend until award letters and council authorizations are in place.
Council members praised Lewis’s team and asked the administration to clarify contract renewals; Lewis’s homelessness prevention contract was noted as expiring March 30. Several council members and advocates recommended a stronger, coordinated regional approach to housing and employment services and urged the council and administration to identify sustainable funding.
No formal council vote was required for the report; it was received as a presentation and the council moved on to other business after public comment and council discussion.
