Springfield City Council’s ARPA Review Committee approved on Tuesday a recommendation that the council allocates about $7 million in funds to support homeless services and affordable housing projects.
Council will consider the committee’s recommendations at its Oct. 17 meeting, a news release said.
The committee’s recommendation to the council will include:
- $3 million for the building of a new day center for unsheltered people to be and receive services
- $650,000 to fund several projects of the Connecting Grounds (a church and outreach program that helps the unsheltered community)
- $2.8 million to supplement a previously approved HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP)
- $2.2 million for the creation of a non-congregant shelter
- About $550,000 toward affordable home ownership
City will soon ask for more proposals
If council approves the recommendation, the Planning & Development Department will release four separate requests for proposals for projects that assist the unsheltered community, those at risk of becoming homeless, survivors of domestic violence and those at risk of housing instability, the release said.
The first request for proposals will be for the development of affordable rental housing. The second will be for the development of a non-congregate shelter (a shelter that allows individuals or families to have some privacy like a motel room or dormitory). The third request for proposal will be for projects that provide supportive services. And the fourth request for proposals will be for affordable homeownership projects.
The Community Partnership of the Ozarks submitted the proposal for the purpose-driven day center.
CPO’s plans for ‘purpose-driven' day center
Currently, the only drop-in day shelter in Springfield is the Veterans Coming Home Center. The Vets Center, as it’s often called, provides a place where people can rest during the day, shower and do laundry.
CPO's program would go beyond these types of services, offering robust programs meant to help unsheltered people transition out of homelessness — this is what CPO means when they say “purpose-driven.”
“VCH does offer a location for individuals to ‘be,’ however, it is not purpose-driven and does not offer directed services to stabilization or shelter/housing services,” CPO’s proposal to the committee reads.
According to CPO’s proposal, the purpose-driven shelter would be a safe place for unsheltered people — many of whom might be resistant to services — and a place to go where there is a focused effort to connect them with mental health care, health care and legal services.
“A day center/drop-in center targeting these primary service areas is a critical need,” the proposal reads.
The center will also be a “resting place that is safe and monitored using best practice trauma-informed care,” and could be directly linked to homeless court and other specialty courts. The day shelter could be a site for the court social worker who would connect people to services needed to fulfill a treatment and housing plan, the proposal reads.
The $3 million in ARPA funds will be used to secure a site and provide staffing support for the specialized case managers, according to the proposal.
About the Connecting Grounds’ projects
Connecting Grounds Pastor Christie Love said she is thankful to the committee for approving her organization’s proposals.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the ARPA committee and for their willingness to just really try to think outside the box and figure out what are those big needs,” Love said.
The Connecting Grounds Church has been serving the Ozarks’ unsheltered community since 2018. In addition to the church, it operates an outreach center where people can get services such as medical care, clothes and bus passes (when available). It also has outreach teams who reach people living on the streets, in vehicles, motels and camps.
If council approves the ARPA committee’s recommendation, the $650,000 will fund the following projects:
- $50,000 to add showers and outdoor bathrooms to the Outreach Center at 3000 W. Chestnut Expressway. The plan is to have six outdoor shower pods and purchase a large propane tank and propane for a year’s worth of showers. The funds will also be used to purchase a handicap-accessible port-a-potty. The church already has a regular port-a-potty at the center.
- $30,000 to add storage at the Outreach Center. Storage is an issue for the homeless because they have to carry all their belongings with them at all times or risk them getting stolen or thrown away. Not having a place to store their belongings is also a barrier to employment and getting into shelters. TCG plans to add two Conex units at the back of the Outreach Center and put shelves with large Rubbermaid tubs big enough for three large backpacks.
- $24,000 to expand the hours at the Outreach Center. An additional staff member will be hired to oversee operations at the Outreach Center at expanded times. Currently, the center is open 12 hours a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
- $93,350 for the outreach fund that is used for homeless diversion and a variety of other needs. The Outreach Fund is used for supplies, food, medical supplies and diversion and discretionary funds to help people overcome barriers to employment, housing or shelter programs.
- $340,000 to purchase and remodel a second respite house for those too sick to be on the street, but too well to be hospitalized;
- $40,000 to create an emergency family shelter inside the church at 4341 W. Chestnut Expressway.
The Connecting Grounds owns the home behind the Outreach Center and uses it as a three-bedroom respite program for homeless men who need a place to recover from sickness, injury or surgery. Love said the need to purchase and renovate a second house is “huge.”
“This is going to also allow us to do respite for women, which is incredibly, incredibly critical because there just are not enough respite beds for women at all,” Love said.
“I think between (CPO’s purpose-driven day center) and us being able to expand our hours at the Outreach Center with this funding,” she continued, “it’s going to go a long way to just being able to help more people during the day and hopefully give them more options at nights as well with the shelter funding.”
Historic Black cemetery will see upgrades
The committee will also recommend the city allocate $100,000 in ARPA funds for capital improvements at the Lincoln Cemetery, a historic Black cemetery.
According to the proposal from the Lincoln Cemetery Board, the funds will be used to restore some of the fixtures in the cemetery, pave the internal gravel road and do tree and hedge plantings “needed to add privacy and serenity screening from the bustle of businesses that border the Lincoln perimeter.”
“Where Springfield puts its resources says much about our values,” the proposal reads in part. “Helping preserve this iconic place, born because of racial discrimination, shows, even though belated, a sense of fairness and progress for our City.”
Committee gives nod to CASA clubhouse
The committee will recommend the allocation of $150,000 for CASA of Southwest Missouri's plans for a clubhouse and play space for children and teens in foster care.
CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, announced its plans for a new headquarters with the clubhouse and play space earlier this year.
According to CASA's proposal to the committee, the clubhouse and play space will be specifically designed for children and youth who have been abused and neglected and are in the foster care system.
The clubhouse will be utilized for children just entering foster care, supervised family visitation, child welfare meetings and educational programming.
