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Huckleberry House warns of possible closure after contract cut; juvenile probation offers different rationale
Summary
Huckleberry House leaders told the Budget & Finance Committee that a 100% midyear cut to a juvenile probation contract left the shelter facing a potential closure unless the city identifies roughly $250,000; juvenile probation said the funding shift followed multi-year policy discussions.
Huckleberry House, a youth shelter operated by Huckleberry Youth Programs, told the Budget & Finance Committee on April 29 that an abrupt funding change could force the program to close.
Jenny Price, director of programs at Huckleberry, said the organization took a full midyear cut to its juvenile probation contract that left it about $450,000 short this year and about $250,000 away from a sustainable budget for the coming fiscal year. "If we do not have some plan in place for that money, that they're not gonna approve our budget. So that would effectively mean a decision to close the shelter," Price said.
Supervisor David Campos asked Huckleberry representatives whether they were given notice or consulted before funds were shifted. Price replied that the organization received a sudden notice and had no role in the decision-making process. Juvenile probation officials told the committee that discussions about the proper placement of funds for status offenders and non-ward populations had occurred over roughly three years and that the department prioritized funding aligned with juvenile probation wards.
Committee members asked agency staff to return with more information on how the transition was handled and whether federal stimulus or other bridge funding could be pursued. No funding restoration was approved at the hearing; the committee continued the matter to the call of the chair so department heads could respond in detail.
