PORT ANGELES — Clallam County lawmakers have approved the spending of up to $300,000 for shelter providers.
The three commissioners Tuesday authorized Health and Human Services Director Iva Burks to convene the Homelessness Task Force to send a request for proposals to agencies that provide emergency shelters and transitional housing.
The task force will bring funding recommendations back to the board.
Commissioners will use general fund reserves to assist cash-strapped shelter providers in second half of this year.
Demand for housing services has increased locally while state and federal funding has been slashed, housing advocates told commissioners last week
“Serenity House, in its financial crisis, is still focused on the mission,” added Kim Leach, Serenity House of Clallam County executive director, on Tuesday.
“We’re still focused on preventing and ending homelessness.”
The Board of County Commissioners signed a 10-year plan to end homelessness in 2006.
Recording fees that support two housing funds established by the state Legislature decreased by 30 percent last year, Burks said.
“Although funds are drying up, need is not,” Burks said in an executive summary to the funding request.
It would have taken an additional $185,039 to fully fund awarded contractors when the last request for proposals was made in the fall, Burks said.
“Other entities qualifying but not funded would be an additional $93,806 for a total of $278,845 unfunded need,” Burks said.
Meanwhile, Serenity House officials are grappling with a financial crisis that forced the closure of some facilities earlier this year.
“Since the needs of the community have changed due to the restructuring of a large shelter provider, HHS recommends issuing a new RFP [request for proposals] for one-time monies to be used by the end of 2015 addressing the needs identified in the updated 10-year plan,” Burks wrote.
“Our recommendation is for $300,000.”
The new contracts will be approved as part of a package of budget emergencies this summer.
Commissioners have decided to spend down as much as $2.5 million in general fund reserves in ways that stimulate the economy and help the general community.
The board on Tuesday formally approved a 40-hour work week for full-time staffers and added a half-hour to the time the courthouse is open to the public.
For the past several years, the facility at 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles has been open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Beginning Monday, the courthouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
