MISSOULA - Unhoused Missoulians who stay at the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space (TSOS) are back inside the hard shelters located on Mullan and Broadway.
Hope Rescue Mission executive director Jim Hicks told MTN, thanks to a contract with the city, the residents were able to stay at the Johnson Street Emergency Winter Shelter for about five weeks while the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space was being updated.
The TSOS site originally had 30 pallets with windows, beds, heating, electricity, and smoke alarms.
The updates include amenities that make the site feel a little more like home such as the following:
- Air conditioning for the summer heat
- Landscaping of plants, grass, and rocks
- Fresh pavement of the parking lot
- Office trailer
- Sprinkler system
- Wiring for security cameras ahead of installation
Hicks said these updates help residents worry less in this temporary space.
“It’s safe to store their things while they're coming and going, knowing that those things won’t be rifled through or stolen,” Hicks said. “It just gives them that piece of mind that helps them in that continual journey to stability and housing case management, meeting with their folks, it’s just a big sense of relief that’s one word I’ve heard over and over is that this is just such a relief to be here.”
The new site also has two bathrooms and four showers for residents to use. Residents were initially limited to Porta-Potties and the use of local churches for showers. Hicks said these on-site features are a major step forward in helping residents with their quest for employment.
The living space is available year-round but Hicks told MTN the goal is for residents to be self-sufficient and ready to move into their own space after a few months of living in the TSOS.
“We have our own internal timeline, but that’s not forced as long as people are able to move forward because people are at different circumstances. Of course, we’d like to get more people housed, but it’s not a forced deal. We just let them work at their pace as we work with them and get them into some secure housing.
The site provides shelter for up to 40 people at a time. As of June 22, 2023, 145 people remained on the waiting list, according to Hicks.
