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Council advances Housing First planning, seeks county and shelter collaboration
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Summary
Council members reviewed a draft "Housing First" model that emphasizes tiered transitional supports and sustainable funding, asked staff to coordinate county involvement and local shelter partners, and scheduled a listening session/town hall to gather stakeholder input.
City staff and councilmembers used the retreat to press forward on a draft Housing First model aimed at reducing returns to homelessness by layering transitional supports.
Staff described gaps in prior practice — that people who achieved initial stability often lacked follow-up supports — and said a tiered approach would better match assistance (rental support, arrears relief, case management) to need. The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) is working with state partners on program design and expects to bring a budget request forward during the next budget cycle.
Councilmembers emphasized partnering with local shelters and nonprofit providers (Christian Shelter, Halo, Hearts and Hands, Hope) to perform internal counts and segment populations by needs: chronic homelessness, mental-health needs, transitional problems (job loss), and youth-specific supports. Council directed staff to convene those partners and to include county agencies in coordination discussions so services and funding could be aligned across Salisbury and Wicomico County.
The council also agreed to hold a town hall focused on housing and homelessness to present funding options and hear resident input. Staff said Amber Green (state housing) and Danielle (state housing staff) could be asked to attend to explain funding tiers for emergency eviction prevention and transitional youth housing programs.
Next steps: staff to convene shelter and county partners, return with a budget request for council consideration and include Housing First details in the February/March town-hall series.
