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Commissioner urges action on downtown encampment as DHHS points to shelter capacity limits
Summary
Commissioner Bair raised concerns about visible homelessness near the downtown library; DHHS staff said they are deploying a teaming model and flagged an interfaith shelter expansion and an on-hold TA Wilson funding issue as partial responses.
Commissioner Bair told the board he has observed a growing homeless presence near the downtown library on Michigan Avenue and urged county action to help those individuals and to prevent the downtown area from becoming a larger encampment. "You've got some homeless people living right on Michigan Avenue... We don't need Main Street starting to look like San Francisco or Los Angeles homeless districts," he said.
DHHS program staff responded that the department is pairing assistance-payment staff with children's services staff in a new "teaming model" to intervene earlier with families in economic crisis and to help people apply for benefits and emergency rental assistance. Staff said an interfaith shelter expansion is expected to add some family beds; however, funding for the TA Wilson shelter is currently on hold. The department emphasized its limited role in adult homelessness, noting most of its direct casework focuses on families with children.
Commissioner Bair asked the department to continue pursuing community partnerships and to report back on shelter capacity and coordination; the commissioners received the DHHS report by voice vote.
