Council backs $25,000 for Safe Housing Response Team using opioid settlement funds

Marshall County Council voted on Dec. 8 to provide $25,000 from its opioid nonrestricted settlement funds to seed a Safe Housing Response Team that will help families displaced by vacate orders and unsafe rental housing.

The council heard a written appeal from Plymouth Mayor Robert Listenberger and presentations from United Way and local faith-based partners outlining the team's role. According to presenters, the team formed in July 2024 after an initial incident that left 18 residents at risk; two further incidents over the next 15 months affected a total of about 89 residents countywide. The presenters requested $25,000 to create a fund that can be deployed quickly to pay hotels, food and other immediate needs while case managers arrange longer-term solutions.

The mayor’s letter, read into the record, urged support: "I urge you to contribute to this funding," it said, and described the Safe Housing Response Team as aimed at providing immediate stability for multiple families during a crisis. Council members asked about governance and asked that participating towns match or contribute; presenters said a grants committee led by United Way and community partners would vet qualifying events and approve payouts directly to hotels or partner organizations rather than to individuals.

Councilmember Shattuck moved to support the request with funds coming from the opioid nonrestricted account; Compton seconded the motion, and the chair announced the motion carried. The chair noted the county currently holds $123,673 in the opioid nonrestricted fund and suggested that is an appropriate source for this request. Council discussed possibly supplementing the county contribution with city matches and noted nonprofit partners (Link to Hope, Poor Handmaids, Bread of Life) would handle case management and deployment.