(The Center Square) – Under a proposed contract extension, Spokane’s Trent Shelter would close by the end of October; if approved, its total would surpass $16.8 million since opening in September 2022.
The Trent Resource and Assistance Center, widely known as the Trent Shelter, could sleep over 450 homeless individuals earlier this year, but not anymore. Under Mayor Lisa Brown, the city is shifting away from its large congregate shelters toward a new scattered site model.
During a committee meeting last week, Arielle Anderson, director of Spokane’s Community, Housing, and Human Services Department, briefed the city council on the extension. She said if approved, The Salvation Army, which operates TRAC, would close its doors by Oct. 31.
“We’re just asking for that one-month amendment to keep TRAC open during the month of October,” Anderson said. “Total amount there is $620,000.”
If the council approves the amendment next week, Spokane will have spent more than $16.86 million on the Trent Shelter since September 2022, $3.99 million of that total since April. That amount increases to $7.72 million, including the December extension.
Generally, 95% of the city’s homelessness funding comes at the state and federal levels, with the city providing the rest. According to a funding breakdown, roughly 55.8% of the total spent on the Trent Shelter came at the federal level, 26.8% from the state and 17.2% from Spokane.
The proposed extension includes a phase-out plan that dwindles the number of beds provided every week or two until the end of October. According to that plan, TRAC offered a maximum of 225 beds at the start of September, which should’ve slimmed to 175 by Monday.
The number of beds will decrease again on Oct. 1 to 125 before reaching 75 on Oct. 15; after that, TRAC’s final reduction will see its doors closed on Halloween. Dozens of service providers are attending weekly meetings in anticipation of this to identify other housing solutions.
Council President Betsy Wilkerson is worried about the city’s lack of options this winter without TRAC. When the temperature dips below a certain threshold, local law requires Spokane to open warming centers, which the city often props up at existing shelters and facilities.
Wilkerson questioned whether the council would have to look for additional funding when temperatures drop and TRAC is closed.
Currently, $3 million in federal pandemic relief funds are available, which the council could use for the warming centers. The city previously intended to use some of it for TRAC; however, due to contract renegotiations resulting in savings, the mayor wants to use $1.2 million to prevent the closure of another shelter while using the remaining $1.8 million to prop up her new model.
“The art of finding money is very elusive, especially for our budget,” Wilkerson said. “We can’t just print it in the basement.”
The city council will vote on whether to approve the final contract extension on Sept. 23.
