Public comment sought on shelter for at-risk, homeless populations
The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on a proposal to create a quarantine/ shelter to serve at-risk and homeless populations using U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds during a meeting Thursday at City Hall.
The public hearing, held by the Community Development Advisory Committee, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at City Hall. Social distancing will be maintained, but there is also an option to participate by phone. Call Michelle Sestili at 501-276-7934 or msconsulting@outlook.com before 11 a.m. Thursday to receive the dial-in number and copies of the meeting materials.
The meeting will be a place to discuss the proposed plan to acquire, rehabilitate or construct a quarantine/shelter using the $439,471 HUD allocated to Community Development Block Grant funding for the 2021 fiscal year.
According to a news release from the city, $363,364.96 of the funding will be used to obtain or construct the building, and $76,106.04 will be used for grant planning and administration expenses. The proposed projects and expenditures are detailed in a 2021 Annual Action Plan that can be reviewed online at http://www.cityhs.net/Community-Development, or in the lobby of City Hall, 133 Convention Blvd.
According to the Action Plan, its primary
goal is to “expand the emergency shelter options for homeless and at-risk persons by opening a quarantine/shelter with access to centralized services and referrals.”
“Currently, there are twenty
(20) emergency shelter beds and eight (8) transitional beds for men only at Samaritan Ministries; sixteen (16) beds for victims of domestic violence through Ouachita Children, Youth and Family Services; and four (4) residential and twenty (20) temporary beds for unaccompanied, neglected and abused youth at Ouachita Children’s Center. Additional supportive housing for the developmentally disabled at risk of institutionalization or homelessness are also available in Hot Springs. An estimated
62 beds have been lost since
2018 as shelters closed or refocused operations,” the Action Plan says.
After Thursday’s hearing, the public will still have an opportunity to independently review and comment on the plan through May 3. Post-hearing comments should be emailed to msconsulting@outlook.com or mailed to CDBG-Planning & Development, City of Hot Springs, 133 Convention Blvd. Hot Springs, AR 71901.
The proposed plan for the quarantine/shelter comes after an expressed need for a permanent shelter to temporarily home and rehabilitate the increasing number of local homeless.
Representatives of four nonprofit groups dedicated to helping the homeless population discussed the need for a permanent shelter last month with The Sentinel-Record.
City Manager Bill Burrough said in the article the city supports their endeavors and with the Hot Springs Board of Directors making homeless services one of their “high priority goals” for 2021, he is hopeful to use one year’s portion of Community Development Block Grant funds to secure a shelter location.
It is the intention of the city to have a qualified nonprofit or group of nonprofits operate and manage the quarantine/ shelter once opened, according to the action plan.