A Boone County task force responsible for assessing homelessness service gaps recommended the county build a homeless shelter to help meet community needs.
The recommendation was among several issued by the Boone County Homelessness Task Force during Wednesday’s Boone County Fiscal Court special caucus meeting.
“In developing a brick and mortar shelter, the task force recommends adopting a hybrid sheltering model providing 24/7 sheltering, with wrap around services aimed at reestablishing permanent housing solutions for participants,” Boone County Human Services Director Laura Pleiman, a member of the task force, said.
The task force comprises representatives from the county, the city of Florence, the Boone County Public Library, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Boone County Schools and nonprofit organizations that include Florence Christian Church, Mary Rose Mission, Welcome House and Brighton Center, officials said.
The panel was formed four years ago at the request of Boone County Judge/Executive Gary W. Moore and then Florence Mayor Diane Whalen to garner insight into who is experiencing homelessness within the county and resources available to meet the breadth of their needs.
The task force, which is working to complete a shelter feasibility study, envisions a facility that would help provide stability for the homeless, Pleiman said.
“By providing access to workforce readiness, veterans services, financial assistance and education programming and mental health and substance abuse treatment, individuals will be more effectively and efficiently stabilized,” Pleiman said, adding the desired goal is exiting emergency sheltering programs sooner and reducing the chance of regression.
If the task force shelter proposal advances, the Boone County Mental Health/Intellectual Disability/Aging tax revenues would serve as the major funding source, Moore said – to which Pleiman agreed.
“It could be a critical piece for it, yes,” Pleiman said. “When I look at how we support our emergency shelter partners around the community, it’s not outside the lines to use that funding for a shelter within the county.”
Other task force recommendations include:
- Strengthening prevention and rapid housing resources to prevent homelessness or quickly rehouse individuals whenever possible.
- Integrating social services targeting the establishment of permanent housing solutions.
- Including space for congregate sheltering to be used for winter weather emergencies.Â
The amount Boone County spent on last year’s winter homeless sheltering effort, with most of the participants being from Florence, was about $167,000, Pleiman said. The figure represents half the cost to operate a homeless shelter on a full-time basis.
“We would view it as a partnership, because we have the mental health/aging tax base that the county would be the lead on anything that would move forward,” Boone County Administrator Matthew Webster said. “It would be intellectually dishonest to not acknowledge the large base of this problem is coming from one of our incorporated cities. That city has been a very good partner.”
All potential homeless shelter funding options, including a capital campaign, are considerations, per the task force.
