Council member Sally Bagshaw has called a special meeting of her Human Services and Public Health Committee for Friday morning to consider releasing funds designated for addressing the homeless crisis.
In the 2016 budget, the Council allocated $2,265,000 as one chunk of funds dedicated to addressing the homeless crisis. That particular piece has a proviso holding it until the Human Services Department delivered a detailed spending plan to the Council. HSD has now done that; Basghaw’s committee will review the spending plan on Friday morning, and if they like what they see will recommend that the full Council approve it.
Council rules stipulate that an item voted out of committee after Wednesday needs to wait a week before it can appear on the full Council’s agenda. The Council can waive that rule, but doesn’t make a regular practice of it; however if they feel time pressure to get the money released quickly, they just might.
Approximately $536,000 will go to additional shelter beds; the balance goes to a variety of human services.