Montgomery County highlights new short‑term shelter; volunteer raises allegations about rehousing process

Montgomery County announced the opening of a new short‑term supportive 24/7 emergency facility in Lansdale as part of a multi-site effort to reduce street homelessness.

At the meeting the chair described the new 20‑bed facility and said it is one of three county projects (Pottstown opened last year; Norristown and a Norristown-area ground-breaking planned) designed to provide crisis shelter and connections to services. The chair credited local partnerships and a $1,000,000 philanthropic donation as contributors to the Lansdale opening and framed the initiative as part of the county’s goal that ‘‘no one should have to sleep on the streets.’’

During public comment, Desiree Whitfield, a volunteer at the TLC Code Blue Shelter, alleged that guests were being promised rapid rehousing but were not being placed within the expected 90‑day period and raised concerns about program classification and paperwork in the Horsham hotel program. She described those practices as improper and asked commissioners to investigate; commissioners said staff would look into the allegations and report back.

County officials stressed they continue to operate a mix of emergency shelter, rapid rehousing and intervention programs and said they would follow up with details to ensure program compliance and outcomes.