Spokane OKs funds for homeless

Fourteen local social service agencies got a funding boost Monday when the Spokane City Council approved spending $650,000 to ease homelessness throughout Spokane County.

The money is coming from a new $10 fee charged to county real estate transactions and will fund agencies that help people in danger of losing their homes; temporary housing facilities; and programs for mental health, substance abuse, job training and other issues.

The House of Charity will receive a $102,000 grant to allow the downtown Spokane shelter to remain open an additional five months each year. Currently, the shelter closes during warm weather months.

A city-county task force selected the 14 programs from 22 requests totaling $1.5 million. The funding was authorized by the Legislature in the Homelessness Housing and Assistance Act in 2005.

Councilwoman Mary Verner said the program will fill “high and important needs.”

An estimated 7,000 people in Spokane seek help for homelessness annually.

Marilee Roloff, executive director of Volunteers of America, said she was concerned that none of the money was allocated to programs that help people ages 16 to 21. She said her agency sees hundreds of young people at its facilities each year.

“It’s just disappointing they are not a priority,” Roloff told council members.

Councilman Bob Apple said, “I care very much about kids” but said the selections were difficult and more money might be available next year for youth programs.

The largest grant, at $145,700, is going to the Salvation Army and Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs for rental and utility assistance and preventing homelessness.

Other agencies receiving funds included:

“The Community Health Association of Spokane, $45,000 for outreach services in rural areas and for coordinating different government services.

“Goodwill, $48,500 for improved linkages to employment training options.

“House of Charity Supportive Service, $39,700 for case management for shelter residents and other clients.

“Spokane Mental Health Outreach, $29,200 to provide homeless education to the community.

In other business, Councilman Al French outlined a series of strategies for bolstering city revenues, including the possibility of higher building permit fees and other non-tax charges for city services. The goal would be to ensure that the charges cover the cost of providing services.

French called the potential revenue gains the “low-hanging fruit” in an effort to stabilize the city’s cash-strapped budget. Other ideas include more planning for economic development in neighborhoods, expanding city utility services outside the city limits to get more tax collections, and selling surplus city properties to get them back on tax rolls.