Agate seeks to reallocate leftover 2023 bonding funds to preserve shelter beds
Loading...
Summary
Sen. Mohammed and Agate Housing & Services told the committee that leftover funding from a 2023 appropriation for the Valiance shelter could be repurposed to upgrade and preserve a 48-bed couples shelter; the committee recommended clarifying bill language to match the organization's intended use (acquisition and renovation) and laid the measure over.
Sen. Mohammed presented Senate File 4599, which would allow Agate Housing & Services to reallocate approximately $600,000 in leftover 2023 bonding funds from the Valiance shelter project to address capital needs at another Agate facility and preserve emergency shelter capacity.
"This is one of those few times that we're able to preserve emergency shelter beds without spending any new money," Sen. Mohammed said. Kyle Hansen, executive director of Agate Housing & Services, told the committee the Valiance opened last fall with 50 beds after a $5 million appropriation; cost savings and a federal earmark left about $600,000 that Agate hopes to use to upgrade fire sprinklers and bathrooms at its 48-bed couples shelter.
Chair Pappas and counsel noted the bill's draft language appears to authorize a new facility or acquisition and construction, while Hansen described purchasing the property the shelter already occupies and performing a remodel. Chair Pappas urged the authors to work with Senate counsel to ensure the statutory language matches the intended use of the funds. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion and amendment.
