Yelm Homelessness Task Force Final Report Now Available
Yelm, WA — The following report and recommendations were prepared by the Yelm Homelessness Task Force and submitted to the City of Yelm Jan. 28, 2020. The Final report can be viewed here. The information will be brought forward to City Council for initial review and deliberation at the next City Council Study Session held 6:30 p.m., Feb. 4 at the Yelm Community Center.
The Task Force was established as an ad-hoc advisory body to the Yelm City Council through a resolution adopted by Council in a 4-3 vote on November 13, 2018 and was facilitated by Councilmembers Molly Carmody and Joe DePinto. Per the resolution shown below, the final report was due by the end of December of 2019, and the City Staff, City Council, and the community at large have been anticipating this report since.
The City of Yelm recognizes the multiple different perspectives regarding this sensitive and multifaceted topic and we are committed to sharing information as it becomes available. This report was distributed to the Yelm City Council and then published on the City of Yelm website on the day that it was received.
Per the resolution, the Homelessness Task Force was tasked to identify and analyze existing resources for the homeless, to identify overlaps or gaps in existing services, and to identify areas in which the City may use its resources to coordinate services for the homeless population of the City.
The seven recommendations that will be brought forward for Council consideration are as follows: A monthly clinic at the Yelm Community Center for service providers, establishing a permanent homelessness commission, increase law enforcement, review City ordinances, work with local nonprofits to provide services, temporarily open the Community Center as a shelter during hazardous weather, and to create a jobs program.
As with all City Council Meetings and Council Study Sessions, the upcoming meeting is open to the public and we invite everyone to attend. We do ask everyone to be respectful to each other both at the meeting and online as we all have different perspectives on the issue. We are also aware that not everyone can make it to the meeting and City staff will livestream and archive the meeting to the City of Yelm YouTube channel. Comments can be made to the Yelm City Council here: https://www.yelmwa.gov/government/city_council/comment_to_council.php
This report was developed and prepared by the following individuals for consideration by the Yelm City Council:
· Joe DePinto, Yelm City Councilmember
· Molly Carmody, Yelm City Council Member
· Suzie LeFurgey
· Debra Larson
· Rachel Craig
