The countywide issue of homelessness brought together the Vancouver and Clark County councils Monday night for their first joint meeting in more than 15 years.
“We’ve done this before, but it’s been awhile. This will be the first of more to come,” said county council Chair Marc Boldt. Homelessness “bridges public policy and emotions and values and almost everything we embrace as two councils.”
Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt called it “a momentous occasion,” saying there is a mutual interest and obligation in addressing homelessness.
Alternating city and county councilors were seated next to each other in the Vancouver Community Library’s Columbia Room before an audience that included homeless advocates, service providers and police. The councils took no action at the meeting, but they look to collaborate on assessing the community’s homelessness resources, gathering information on the problem, outlining a plan for severe weather and planning the siting of new homeless services.
Andy Silver, executive director of the Council for the Homeless, talked about its role in assessing needs and coordinating services. He said the community had a particularly coordinated system but some responsibilities now overlap.
Peggy Sheehan, the city’s community development programs manager, covered Vancouver’s growing role in addressing homelessess through policies and funds. Last year, the city spent about $1.2 million on the issue. Through the Affordable Housing Fund, the city will generate up to $42 million over the next seven years to be primarily spent on generating more affordable housing.
Director of Clark County Community Services Vanessa Gaston spoke of the county’s role in implementing the Homeless Action Plan and dispersing money collected by document recording fees, the largest source of homeless-service funding. Funding for homelessness in 2016 totaled about $5 million, but there was also spending on housing assistance for veterans and behavioral health clients, plus first-time homebuyer programs, construction of veteran housing and affordable housing preservation.
Councilors were given two questions to discuss: What are your observations about the programs already underway? And, where do you see possibilities for collaboration between the city and county?
City Councilor Alishia Topper stressed the importance of a planned response for extreme weather that ensures a place for people to be in extreme heat or cold without always relying on faith communities to provide relief.
County Councilor Julie Olson said there should be an assessment of resources already available in the community that would help identify where resources are duplicated.
City Councilor Bart Hansen said there’s an immediate need for more shelters and more affordable housing. The city and county, he said, need to address the issues around siting the next shelter or day center or multifamily tax abatement zone.
Boldt hinted at the idea brought to the city to use some of its Affordable Housing Fund money to buy a Hazel Dell wedding venue and turn it into a homeless shelter. It generated a lot of conversation and concern over the siting of homeless services and how the fund’s money should be spent.
“That brought a lot of attention to the problem,” he said.
As the meeting concluded, Leavitt noted that everyone was in agreement that homelessness is a complex issue and there’s room for improvement.
