Missoula to close Johnson Street homeless shelter by August

The city of Missoula will close the Johnson Street temporary homeless shelter in August, a decision driven by the end of pandemic-era federal funding that paid for its operations, officials announced Friday. 

Over the next five months, the city and service providers will work to get as many shelter residents into permanent housing as possible, Mayor Andrea Davis said. 

The city contracts with the Poverello Center to run the shelter and splits the $1.8 million bill with Missoula County. That funding is set to run out in August.  

“The city of Missoula is not alone in weathering the effects of the end of COVID-era federal funding and uncertainty over future funding,” Davis said in a statement. “As we face growing pressures on the city’s general fund, we must shift our focus to housing-first solutions that provide stability and a pathway out of homelessness, rather than short-term sheltering.”

Jill Bonny, executive director of the Poverello Center, said the closure is something the organization knew would happen at some point. 

“Every year we don’t know if we’re going to get another year,” she said. “We have been appreciative of the past several years and the ability to provide shelter. And we’re committed to helping and hopeful that we can help get people to better solutions.” 

The phased closure will begin April 1, with a gradual reduction in the shelter’s nightly capacity by about 30 people per month, Davis said during a press conference Friday. The shelter has 165 beds but can increase capacity as conditions require. On Jan. 29, the shelter hit a peak of 208 clients in one night. In the last week, 150 to 165 people have stayed at the shelter each night, Bonny said. 

From April through August, the city and partner organizations will run a housing “sprint” to connect shelter residents with permanent housing and other support services. The sprint will include assistance with rental applications, identification, substance use and medical referrals, transportation assistance and housing-focused case management, according to the city. The city will also provide relocation assistance when appropriate. 

The United Way of Missoula County will manage the housing sprint fund, with the goal of raising $400,000 toward the effort, Davis said. The city will likely put some money toward the fund but Davis would not say how much. 

The housing sprint is a scaled-up version of a pilot program called Housed for the Holidays during which the city helped 12 homeless veterans find housing in 60 days, Davis said

“We don’t expect 180 people to get into permanent housing by August,” she said. “We will be doing the best we can, however, to make the most impact we can for those folks. If people are taking to sleeping outdoors, then we will help them do that successfully in accordance with the existing ordinance.” 

In June, the City Council restricted camping on city property. The council approved changes to those rules in December, including banning camping in all city parks and changing violations from a civil infraction to a misdemeanor. 

The Poverello Center began operating the Johnson Street shelter in November 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic cut the main shelter’s capacity. The temporary shelter operated as a 24-hour winter shelter for three seasons and was paid for by the city and county. After a spike in the unsheltered population in the spring and summer of 2023, the Johnson Street shelter reopened that September with funding for one year of year-round operations. 

In September, the City Council approved a two-year contract with the Poverello Center to operate the shelter through 2026 but only one year of funding. 

Planning for the redevelopment of the eight-acre property, including the Johnson Street shelter, is underway. In September 2023, the City Council directed the city to start planning within one year, with the goal of completing demolition and site preparation of “appropriate buildings” by September 2026.

After the shelter closes in August, the warehouse will be deconstructed, Davis said. 

The city hopes to build on partnerships with the faith community created this winter to provide overflow sheltering and warming spaces, according to information on its website. 

“We have a number of service providers that are rolling up their sleeves and saying, ‘We are going to continue to think about how we’re putting housing solutions forward and be there when we need this kind of extreme weather response,’” Davis said. 

In an emailed statement, City Council Member Daniel Carlino said the city and county should keep funding the shelter until alternatives are in place 

“Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep at night,” he wrote. “Closing this shelter will take away an important lifeline for Missoulians, making homelessness much more visible and causing hardship for the most vulnerable members of our community. We will still be paying for homelessness one way or the other — providing housing or increasing enforcement. The most effective solution is to provide housing and shelter.” 

Davis encouraged community members to donate to the United Way’s housing sprint fund or volunteer for the Missoula Interfaith Collaborative’s Housing Advocate Network, which helps connect people to resources and support them in finding housing. The city also asks interested landlords to reach out to the city’s houseless programs team, she said. 

“We really would encourage folks in any way they think they might be able to help to reach out, because there’s a lot of hands that are needed here,” Davis said. 

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