HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 6/23/2020 - Memorandum From Beth Sowder Re: Homeless Services Update Post June 19, 2020Social Sustainability
222 Laporte Avenue
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6758
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 17, 2020
TO: Mayor Troxell and City Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jacqueline Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
FROM: Beth Sowder, Social Sustainability Department Director
RE: Homeless Services Update Post June 19, 2020
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to provide Council with a brief update on the homeless services
that will be provided after the temporary shelter closes at Northside Aztlan Community Center
(NACC) on June 19, 2020.
Bottom Line
While community homeless services providers are strategically planning on providing services
to the best of their ability, there is still a gap due to the diminished capacity they have at their
facilities because of the need to provide sufficient space to limit the spread of COVID-19. Key
points include that all three meals and some level of overnight and day shelter will be provided.
Gaps have existed in our homeless service response system and work has been done over the
years to make improvements; however, the gaps have been illuminated and exacerbated by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The City and community partners (Homeward Alliance, Homeward 2020, Catholic Charities,
Fort Collins Rescue Mission, Health District of Northern Colorado, and SummitStone Health
District) have been helping to keep people safe in response to the COVID-19 global emergency.
The City worked with its partners to swiftly establish the indoor temporary shelter at NACC
which has been in operation 24/7 since opening on March 19.
On June 19, the City will begin transitioning NACC back to a recreation facility to prepare for
summer day camps and regularly programmed activities that will begin in July. The day camps
serve families with essential workers as well as low-income families including some
experiencing homelessness. Families without homes can find on-going shelter through Catholic
Charities, Family Housing Network, and One Village One Family. Service providers are
adapting day and night shelters, homeless services, and meals to serve as many people as
possible. Beginning the evening of June 19, services for those experiencing homelessness are
as follows:
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Murphy Center
Open Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
8am-1pm – day shelter
Afternoons for appointments prioritizing case management and other services inside the
building
All core services will be provided (showers, lockers, laundry, mail) – shower lotteries and
check-ins will take place outside (large tent has been set up)
Capacity inside – 25; roughly 50 outside (potentially more but need to see how far they
can extend the area outside)
Port-a-lets, handwashing, and hydration stations provided
Health screenings will occur and be provided by the Health District
*In order to provide weekend day shelter, they would need additional funding for staffing
and building needs – approx. $750/day
Fort Collins Rescue Mission (FCRM)
Will continue overnight shelter as they have been during COVID at 50% capacity (43
people including program residents and overflow men and women
Will serve all meals to anyone – hot dinner and breakfast (with sack lunch to go) at
FCRM beginning with dinner on June 19
Will provide shelter spots for peopled identified as at-risk for the non-congregate shelter
program
Catholic Charities
• Will provide all three meals for those staying at CC (50% capacity) – program residents,
single women in emergency shelter, and families
• Earlier evening opening to allow women to eat dinner at CC and later morning exit to
allow for breakfast, and all will get a sack lunch to take
• Will serve up to 30 women depending on how many families
• Residency program – 20 individuals and 4 families
• Anticipate serving 50-60 total individuals with overnight shelter and 3 meals per day
Additional Information
• All providers will continue to evaluate processes and service provision to make
adjustments and reassess how they are able to assist the system for comprehensive day
and night shelter and meal operations.
• The City and partners are actively exploring partnerships with the faith community to
help alleviate shelter gaps.
• 35 parks restrooms open
• 28 restrooms (permanent buildings); 7 port-a-lets (temporary toilets)
• 5am-11pm
• Additional City restrooms:
• Gustav Swanson – 24/7
• Oak Street – 8am-8pm
• All parks restrooms have sinks, soap and water
• Port-o-lets have hand sanitizer dispensers
• Hydration station located outside at FoCo Café and Oak Street Plaza
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Non-congregate Shelter (NCS)
The City and partners are actively working on standing up the Non-congregate Shelter program
(utilizes hotel rooms to provide single room and bathroom for at-risk people experiencing
homelessness – over age 65 or underlying health conditions).
State approval received June 12, 2020
June 23, 2020 – City Council adjourned meeting to consider appropriate of funds
Procurement will start immediately
Working through operations and service provision plans with service providers
Will be up and running by beginning-mid July
o Plan to run for three months to start – potential extension after that
o Start with 25 people first month; scale up to 50 second month; then scale down
o Intensive housing navigation to move people into housing while in NCS program
o Add people into the program when people move into permanent housing
The City and partner providers continue to search for an alternate congregate shelter space
(comparable to NACC) potentially for the next several months particularly for fall and winter
since COVID-19 impacts and distancing needs still exist and a potential second wave could
occur. Service providers prefer a centralized approach to ensure health screening protocols
and other services in the most effective and safest manner.
Homeward 2020 is convening strategy planning sessions with several service and housing
providers to focus and prioritize solutions including permanent housing strategies.
The City Manager’s Advisory Committee on Homeless Services and Housing Options just
started meeting up again this month. As a reminder, the narrow focus of this committee on
shelter makes its work distinct to the complementary work of Homeward 2020 over the past
decade focusing on the spectrum and system of homeless response to permanent housing.
The learnings from the temporary shelter at NACC will greatly inform the committee since many
of the members have been directly involved.
Cooling Centers
At the June 16 meeting, Councilmembers expressed interest in options for cooling centers. Over
the past year (prior to COVID-19), Environmental Services has explored some options regarding
cooling centers during extreme heat events as part of overall community resilience building and
can offer the following initial information:
There are not plans to establish official community-wide cooling centers this summer,
However, the City was recently awarded a Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant to
support capacity building for the future.
The City will continue to explore options and further develop high heat day resources with the
County and other service providers. A more comprehensive memo regarding efforts related to
cooling centers will be provided in a future Council packet.
Next Steps
Set up NCS program and provide update memo to Council
Continue search for congregate shelter site
Finalize strategy plan for housing surge and 30/60/90 days and beyond and send update
memo to Council
City Manager’s Advisory Committee recommendations Fall 2020
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