Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Inclement Weather Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Allison Sailors: surge shelter activated 87 nights; city reports no turnaways during major winter storm
Summary
Allison Sailors, manager of the Office of Homeless Services, told the Education and Human Services Committee that surge shelter was activated 87 nights this winter, family programs placed 47 households in hotels, and the city recorded more than 20,000 overnight stays across warming centers and shelters.
Allison Sailors, manager of the Richmond Office of Homeless Services, told the Education and Human Services Committee that the city's surge shelter was activated 87 nights this winter — nearly triple the 30 nights the city had contracted for.
"First thing I'll point out is that surge was activated 87 nights this winter," Sailors said, and she warned that in January and February the shelter system "very nearly reached capacity or overcapacity." The city's primary inclement-weather shelter holds 106 beds (66 for men and 40 for women); surge adds an additional 60 beds under this year's contract.
Sailors said the Office of Homeless Services provided emergency hotel placements for 47 unhoused or at-risk households with minor children during the season, and that prevention and diversion strategies helped reduce entries into the shelter system. "We were very diversion focused," she said, describing use of family crisis funds to pay rental arrears and connect households to rapid rehousing through the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care.
Sailors credited a network of city departments and community partners with keeping people sheltered during prolonged extreme weather events. During winter storms the city activated 24/7 emergency shelter and warming-center capacity for 17 straight days; libraries, GRTC, Feed More and other nonprofits provided transportation, food and outreach. "We had no shelter turnaways during winter storm Fernandiana," Sailors said, adding that there were just over 20,000 total overnight stays across all sites this season.
Committee members pressed staff on how the city obtains access to vacant Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority units for rapid exits from shelter. Sailors said such placements came through a special, expedited process coordinated by GRCOC in particular circumstances, and that OHS "typically does not have, like, a special side door into that." Amy Popovich, deputy chief administrative officer for human services, added that the city continues to coordinate with RRHA and other partners to identify placement options.
Committee members also asked about shelter-related budget lines. Sailors confirmed a line item exists for family hotel placements but, when asked for the amount, responded "140" without clarifying units or currency. Popovich told the committee that DNCS has an additional $514,000 for operating costs for collective shelters.
Looking ahead, Sailors said the office had added language to contracts to require trauma-informed care training for shelter staff, is evaluating communications protocols for public shelter openings, plans to add an outreach worker to the inclement-weather shelter next year, and is exploring resources and partnerships to better serve older adults who are using shelters.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the presentation; members asked for follow-up materials, including RRHA vacancy figures and a clearer description of the emergency-placement process.
