PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners have agreed to a short-term solution to Serenity House of Clallam County’s funding woes and are expected today to loosen the strings attached to $55,000 in funding approved earlier this year.
This was in response to Serenity House announcing last week it had run out of funding for its night-by-night shelter, family shelter and single adult clean and sober recovery shelter and that it would close its night-by-night shelter May 15 if more funding wasn’t found soon.
Serenity House’s director, Doc Robinson, said the nonprofit needed $200,000 to keep the night-by-night shelter and family shelter open.
It only needed $145,000 if the commissioners vote to amend the contract today, which they had agreed to do Monday.
He said the single adult clean and sober recovery shelter would need about $105,000 in funding, which he said was not awarded this year by the county Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Advisory Board.
It was an announcement several county officials said they hadn’t anticipated.
Clallam County Administrator Jim Jones said that when the commissioners agreed earlier this year to pull $55,000 from the Homelessness Task Force Fund reserves to help fund Serenity House’s shelters, a miscommunication led to a requirement that the shelters would need to stay open through the end of the year.
Without knowing whether there would be enough funding to operate through the year Serenity House had opted not to touch the money — in case it needed to be repaid, Robinson said.
The amended contract would require Serenity House to operate the shelters through June 30, which Robinson said would be feasible.
The shelters had been supported through U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Emergency Solutions Grants program, which was administered through the state Department of Commerce, but that funding ended prior to Robinson joining Serenity House in November 2016, he said.
This year, the county has approved $284,577 for Serenity House, more than it has in any year since 2013, Jones said.
“We’ve given more than we’ve ever given,” he said. “It’s not as much as [Serenity House] wants and to be fair, it’s not what [Robinson] needs.”
Commissioner Randy Johnson said the goal Monday was just to agree on a short-term solution that will buy time to allow Serenity House, the county and the community explore any long-term solutions to fund Serenity House’s shelters.
Johnson, Robinson and other Serenity House staff met Monday with U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer’s office in hopes of finding a solution at the federal level.
Robinson said there is “no instant solution federally,” but that he hopes bringing the issue to the Gig Harbor Democrat’s attention could open some doors.
“Having them participate and know the issue is there and work with us gives us a leg up,” Robinson said.
State Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, said he is looking for solutions at the state level to support Serenity House.
Chapman said he may be able to help with Serenity House’s capital needs or if the nonprofit needs a one-time fix he can make a special appropriations request.
He said the state recently increased recording fees, which the county uses in its Homelessness Task Force fund, from $40 to $62.
“That’s not insignificant,” Chapman said, adding that it will provide some additional funds for counties.
Jones said that increase could amount to about a $50,000 increase to the fund in any given year, depending on how many recording fees are processed.
This year 11 different agencies asked for a combined $936,587 out of the county’s Homeless Fund, a fund paid for though recording fees. There was only $409,000 available.
Jones said no matter how much money that increased fee generates, more will still be needed before Serenity House and other agencies can do the job they want to do.
Jones said he appreciates Serenity House’s and the other agencies’ passions for addressing homelessness with the limited funding they have.
“That’s the nature of social services, there’s no waste, fraud and abuse,” Jones said. “You could double everyone’s money and they still wouldn’t have enough.”
________
Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.w
Doc Robinson, director of Serenity House of Clallam County, listens as Clallam County commissioners discuss funding for the nonprofit’s shelters. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
