Homeless to get year-round site

An existing 1,200-square-foot-metal building on the site will be leased for five years by the coalition to relocate its food and clothing distribution service for low-income families, along with some offices for staff and volunteers. The coalition will pay $1,000-a-month rent, as well as related utility costs and for the modifications to the building except for are fire sprinkler system. The additional $370 in rent means the city won’t be paying anything for the additional services and it will eliminate its $500-a-month contribution for the uses at the current coalition facility.

“Their financial contribution is unprecedented,” said Assistant City Manager John Pietig, the staff point man for the project.

“And the project is not only good for the homeless, it’s good for the residents who will be able to use the city beaches and parks the way they were intended.”

Other benefits:

 Longer hours of operation during the day, not yet determined, will allow more use of the facility by the homeless and is hoped to discourage the morning meals provided without city sanction at Heisler Park in favor of the alternative site.

 The Friendship Shelter will be able to allow the homeless to use the showers and laundry facilities at night.

 The homeless will be able to launder their own blankets, eliminating a payment of $500 per month to the Friendship Shelter for the service

The coalition will also handle transportation. Using public transportation would have cost the city $30,000 year. A single allocation of up $45,000 will buy a 15-person van — insurance, fuel and drivers provided by the coalition. The van cost is included in the estimated $153,000 to relocate the alternate sleeping site.

Agreement to ameliorate coalition risks

The sleeping shelter program is new and relatively unique, officials said. If the program were to close for some reason, the coalition would have to assume the lease or lose the value of its contributions and be out of a place to operate.

A proposed agreement between the city and the coalition will include a provision for the city to reimburse the organization for a portion of the cost of the modifications if the site closes within four years. The amount of reimbursement would be based on the remaining value of the modifications assuming a useful life of four years.

The relocation will cost about $153,000 to set up the new site, without impacting the city’s required 10% general fund reserve.