YAKIMA — Shipping container shelters deposited at Camp Hope in recent months offer nine new units for individuals who need separate housing, so long as their use is approved by the Yakima City Council.
At a meeting today, the council will consider updating the lease for the emergency shelter operating near East Nob Hill Boulevard and Interstate 82 to allow the containers to be used for temporary housing.
The new shelters were built using shipping containers and are designed, with input from Camp Hope and Comprehensive Health, to be private and safe spaces for individuals who can’t stay in traditional emergency shelters because of past trauma, anxiety or other needs.
Built by Modular Transportable Housing, a portable housing builder based in Yakima, the shelters each contain one double unit and two single units.
Each container costs about $34,000. One of the shelters was paid for by a donation, and Camp Hope is working to raise funds to cover the cost of the other two.
Also at the meeting today, the council will consider adopting a master fee schedule for the city.
Currently, fees and charges for services provided by the city are found in over 50 different sections of the city’s code, according to the agenda for the meeting. In a memo to the council, Finance Director Jennifer Ferrer-Santa Ines said compiling the fees and charges into a consolidated list makes it easier to access, more efficient and more transparent.
The council will also consider a change to the structure of the Gang Reduction and Intervention Task Force, a collaboration addressing gang and gun violence in Yakima.
According to a draft agreement included in the agenda, the OIC of Washington received a grant from the state Department of Commerce to fund the program and make a plan for youth violence intervention and prevention.
The city established the task force and has paid for the costs for the past three years. The Dispute and Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties has facilitated the program.
The Dispute and Resolution Center will continue to facilitate the group and the city of Yakima and Yakima County will continue to participate, but OIC will be responsible for the costs through use of the grant, according to the agreement.