Resident speaker says county's emergency weather response underfunded as children experience homelessness
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Summary
A CAB member told the council there are about 750 unhoused residents in Saint Charles County — including children — and that the county lacks sufficient shelter and funding for emergency weather response; she asked the council to put the issue on a work session and use leaders' platforms to solicit support.
Amy Robertson, speaking as a member of the CAB but representing herself, told the council she believes Saint Charles County currently has 'just under 750 unhoused citizens,' with the largest demographic cohorts aged 0–9 and 10–19. She said children are staying in storage units, vehicles and extended‑stay hotels and that some are camping despite cold temperatures.
Robertson said the county’s five‑year emergency weather response (EWR) standard triggers when temperatures drop below 20°F after 9 p.m. and that the county currently lacks the funding and facilities to house all people who reach out during EWR events. She also said local charities are stretched thin because SNAP benefits are not being distributed and community council funding has decreased; she noted that the Salvation Army shelter is no longer available as a regular shelter resource.
‘‘Death is our bar, and it’s pretty low,’’ Robertson said, describing the EWR objective as preventing death from exposure and urging the council to consider non‑taxpayer‑funded solutions, add the issue to a work session agenda and use elected officials’ platforms to solicit donations and volunteers.
Council response: a councilmember acknowledged the concern and said administration will likely request about $30,000 in emergency aid for discussion at an upcoming session.
Next steps: council directed staff to consider emergency aid and scheduled further discussion during the work‑session process.