Committee advances Salvation Army contract amendment to extend men's supportive shelter through Sept. 2026
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Summary
The committee advanced Resolution R2025-0308 to full council on second reading suspension; the amendment would extend the Salvation Army's supportive services contract for single adult men through Sept. 30, 2026, and add up to $834,302 in funding.
The Health and Human Services and Aging Committee moved a proposed amendment to the Salvation Army contract to the full Cuyahoga County Council on a second-reading suspension. The clerk read Resolution R2025-0308, which would extend the contract term for supportive services for single adult men to Sept. 30, 2026, and authorize additional funds not to exceed $834,302, effective Oct. 1, 2025.
Levine Ross, director of the Office of Homeless Services (speaker 7), introduced the amendment and said the program serves single adult men in a pickup/assessment/sheltering/transitional housing model that can serve up to 75 men at a time and roughly 150–200 men annually. Ross told the committee that from Oct. 2024 to Sept. 2025 the program served 175 adults with 79 individuals exiting to permanent housing.
Beau Hill, executive director for the Salvation Army (speaker 12), said the program traditionally achieves a roughly 75–80% positive exit rate and described the shelter’s location and operations. Hill and Ross explained funding for the program is a blend of sources: supportive services are largely funded with HUD grants (about 70%), while county levy dollars (about 30%) support shelter operations HUD does not cover; presenters described additional state funding and Salvation Army discretionary funds that together produce a program budget presenters estimated at roughly $1.4 million.
Committee members asked whether the funding is already in the OHS budget; presenters confirmed levy funds are in OHS and said this amendment represents a second extension for the current contract (a second amendment) with the possibility of a future new contract or additional amendment cycles. Members also asked about length of stay; Hill said the intervention is time-limited with a goal of two years but that typical stays over the most recent period were about six to nine months, and Ross said a vulnerability index is used to prioritize access to housing services.
The committee voted to move R2025-0308 to the full council on second reading suspension. Conwell moved the motion and Casselberry seconded; committee members voiced 'aye' and the measure was advanced to full council for the second reading.
Next steps: the resolution will appear on the full council docket for second reading. If the full council approves the amendment, the Salvation Army program would have funding and authorization to continue through Sept. 30, 2026.
