The Vancouver City Council voted unanimously Monday to establish a contract with Living Hope Church to operate the city’s second Safe Stay Community.
Brian Norris, Living Hope associate pastor, said the organization has established rapport with the homeless population, which will be an asset for the church while operating the Safe Stay Community.
“They know where we come from; we know where they’re at (and) what their struggles are,” he said. “We want to see the best in people, and we want them to see the best in themselves.”
The city will pay Living Hope Church $552,212 annually to operate the new site. The location and shelter options have not been determined.
Each Safe Stay Community will have sanitation services, portable toilets and handwashing stations, congregation spaces, and access to resources provided by local agencies. The supportive site is set to provide 20 shelters, which will house up to 40 people.
City staff’s additional initiative arrived shortly after the implementation of its first site at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle, which has operated for more than a month. Residents at the site in Vancouver’s North Image neighborhood have achieved many goals, said Jamie Spinelli, Vancouver homeless response coordinator.
Three residents secured employment while others decided to go into treatment. One person reunited with family; several residents obtained their driver’s licenses; some received essential medical treatment.
Outsiders Inn, a Vancouver-based nonprofit, runs the city’s first Safe Stay Community. Adam Kravitz, executive director of Outsiders Inn, said residents in the community have already been successful in reaching milestones after more than a month of its operation.
“A lot of the time, the success comes from people getting stable,” he said.
Outsiders Inn is working out some kinks, such as maintaining a continuous flow of essential supplies including paper products, garbage bags and eating utensils, Kravitz said. Some challenges require patience as the pieces fall into place, such as waiting for Wi-Fi installation, he added. The organization’s staff are sharing their gained knowledge and other general advice with Living Hope Church to aid in their transition.
“We’re working closely with them (to) help them get off the ground as smoothly and easy as possible,” Kravitz said.
Spinelli said the added location will operate 24 hours a day, connect residents to outside resources and provide peer support — just like the first site.
Living Hope Church managed a relief site at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and runs the county’s only walk-in severe weather shelter. Volunteers also provide meals, a food and clothing bank, mobile hygienic facilities and other outreach services on a weekly basis.
Mayor Pro Tem Ty Stober said the community may question a religious organization’s role in running a city program and highlighted that the church will abide by the nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity act, which is outlined in the contract.
Vancouver’s first Safe Stay Community was included in its 2021-2022 budget, and additional communities will be funded with the first supplemental budget of 2022. The proposed second site and additional supportive sites can be funded by the Affordable Housing Fund, an affordable housing sales tax, and community development grants.
In the same motion, council members approved an update on the Affordable Housing Fund administrative plan. The proposed changes allocate funds to respond to evolving community needs, such as the growing demand for temporary shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Affordable Housing Fund originally allocated $300,000 annually to temporary shelters. The proposed update increases the amount to $1.66 million annually, which would support Safe Stay Community operations and the creation of additional sites.
This increase comes as the allocation of $3.96 million for housing production and preservation was reduced to $2.6 million, said Samantha Whitley, community development manager. City staff found that its goals were met and there was a need to invest more in helping people in need find shelter.
“We’re being nimble to meet (and) address the needs in our community, and this is a great way of doing it,” Councilor Bart Hansen said.
