PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend winter homeless shelter is nearing the end of its season, but finding funding next year could prove difficult due to potential budget cuts at the state level.
The winter shelter is co-managed by two local nonprofits: the Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) and the faith-based Community Outreach Association Shelter Team (COAST).
Set up in the lower level of the American Legion, the shelter is open from mid-November until the end of March to provide housing during the coldest part of the year.
Aside from the funds raised by COAST and OlyCAP, the shelter relies on roughly $35,000 in public funding.
It is allocated by the county, and still barely covering the much-needed service, according to Kathy Morgan, the housing director for OlyCAP.
“At the state level they could cut it or raise it, we don’t know what that’s going to look like,” Morgan said.
“We know that counties and communities across the state have struggled due to a lack of housing and homelessness. It would be really harmful to that population should they cut it.”
The state Legislature is still debating Washington’s budget, which includes the possible cut of county 2163 funds, which are earmarked for homeless services and make up the bulk of the public funds Port Townsend’s winter shelter uses every year.
“In order for us to maintain our current five months of service, we’d have to replace that money,” said deForest Walker, the director of COAST. “That would be difficult for us to do.”
On Monday, the Jefferson County commissioners shared their concerns over proposed cuts at the federal level and the impact they might have on potential state funding.
Already the Trump administration has proposed a $54 billion boost to defense spending. There is also a proposed cut of roughly 14 percent to the Housing and Urban Development budget.
“The governor has made it his priority so there could be state funding,” said commissioners Chair Kathleen Kler, “but for now we’re looking to nonprofits.”
The three Jefferson County commissioners discussed the county’s homeless population at length in response to a public comment during their Monday meeting.
Commissioner David Sullivan said he thought the nonprofits do a great job with what they have, but it’s not a long-term solution.
“It’s unfair to put all the burden on nonprofits,” Sullivan said. “We’re working on it.”
The commissioners noted that the problem with homelessness also involves the lack of affordable housing in the areas as well as the availability of mental health services.
“The goal is to help people reach a place of stability,” Kler said. “We’re not doing that if our jails are our biggest mental health service.”
County Administrator Philip Morley said the issues of homelessness, affordable housing and mental health services have been a priority for the county and the community, but taking on all that does require funding and that is currently still up in the air.
“We all know that homelessness and affordable housing are the big issues,” said Commissioner Kate Dean. “We don’t have answers for those problems yet and I know that’s not good enough.”
According to Walker, the homeless population of Jefferson County has only grown as the prices of housing and rentals have skyrocketed.
Walker has worked at the shelter for 11 years and said housing for low income people is non-existent. Walker said there are long lists for subsidized housing and even veterans receiving benefits can’t find an affordable and available place to rent.
“Our greatest need for a safer and healthier community for everyone is more subsidized housing units,” said Walker. “The cure for homelessness is affordable housing. It’s just that simple.”
With this year’s winter being particularly severe, the shelter in Port Townsend has been housing roughly 40 people every night, according to Morgan.
The shelter is scheduled to close its doors the morning of April 1. When the shelter closes, many of the people who use the shelter will camp either at the fairgrounds or set up sites in wooded areas in and around Port Townsend.
There is currently no year-round shelter option in Port Townsend.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
