City Manager Ned Keefe is seeking supplemental funds for the current fiscal year to help with emergency housing for families who have experienced catastrophic loss of housing due to fire, flood, or other emergencies.
“The City included in the FY24 Emergency Management Budget $100,000 for emergency housing/shelter,” stated Keefe. “The purpose of this emergency housing/shelter budget item is to provide safe short term housing to residents affected by catastrophic events.”
So far this year, Keefe stated that there have been four emergency events (two fires, one flood, and one property deemed uninhabitable) that involved 38 family members where residents were left without a home.
“This emergency placement takes the form of temporary housing in area hotels, where the displaced residents receive housing case management support in the search for and placement for permanent housing,” said Keefe. “The tight housing market means that the typical duration is extended for the transition from temporary housing to a permanent housing solution, and so the funds have been depleted. Still, the city has successfully found new housing for most of these displaced families, with the final family placements this month.”
Keefe asked the City Council to fund an additional $100,000 operating expense for the program. He said the city has the money available in its operating stabilization account.
Because it is a financial matter, the council moved the request to a second reading at its next meeting.
“Although this program expenditure has been at a faster pace than projected, our experience tells us that this emergency housing/shelter project is a critical and worthwhile effort,” stated Keefe. “If we want to get residents who are impacted by emergency housing loss safely to new housing, the funding of this work is essential.”