Skagit County intends to spend funds for homeless sheltering on motel vouchers in order to help ensure against COVID-19 transmission. | Stock photo
Skagit County intends to spend funds for homeless sheltering on motel vouchers in order to help ensure against COVID-19 transmission. | Stock photo
Skagit County, in response to concerns that traditional solutions for homeless would create situations ripe for transmission of COVID-19, is opting instead to use shelter funding to pay for motel vouchers.
Sarah Hinman, division manager with county Public Health’s Housing and Community Services, told GoSkagit that the county plans to pay for between 64 and 80 motel rooms under the program that involves partnerships with three area agencies.
Yet, GoSkagit reports that the need for winter shelter for homeless individuals in the community exceeds that number. The pool of people seeking shelter resources as of the most recent count included 210 adults and 94 families.
While the county was able to increase its sheltering capacity by 112 beds with federal CARES Act funding, that money will run out by the end of November, according to GoSkagit.
A lack of shelter resources in the winter months leads to cold-related injuries every year, including frostbite, bronchitis, pneumonia and even death, according to GoSkagit.
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