MISSOULA — When the city closes the Johnson Street shelter later this year, it will donate the modular bathrooms installed last year to the county and its Temporary Safe Outdoor Space.
Missoula County on Tuesday officially accepted the city's donation, saying it will enable the county to direct $120,000 to the city's housing sprint.
The county had set that funding aside to construct its own restroom facilities at the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space (TSOS).
“The city has generally agreed to donate the restrooms that will no longer be used at Johnson Street to the TSOS, which means we don't need to construct those restrooms,” said county CAO Chris Lounsbury.
The Missoula City Council voted to close the Johnson Street shelter by September, saying that without federal support, it could no longer fund the annual $2 million operating cost.
With the backing of Mayor Andrea Davis, the shelter is currently phasing down its population and working with individual occupants to find housing. The intensive effort, dubbed a housing sprint, marks the latest city effort to address homelessness through housing.
“It may just as easily be the case that people who are displaced will be camping outside the city somewhere. It's to our benefit across the county to see if we can get these folks housed,” said Commission Dave Strohmaier.
The Missoula Redevelopment Agency last year allocated $500,000 in tax increment to fund the modular bathrooms at the Johnson Street shelter. They were constructed with portability in mind, and their contribution to the TSOS will save the county $120,000 in construction costs.
That funding will now go to the city's housing sprint at its goal of raising $400,000 to fund the program. The city is also researching the legality of transferring what remains from the Johnson Street shelter's bathroom construction funds to the housing sprint.
Because the funding represents tax increment, there are questions as to whether it can legally be applied to a social program like the housing sprint.
“This isn't a perfect solution,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick. “We have limited money and we want to get these folks in the most stable situation possible. It's not going to work for everyone, but it's better than closing down the shelter and saying you're on your own.”
