MANCHESTER, N.H. – With just days before the expiration of the current agreement between the City of Manchester and the operators of the homeless shelter and engagement center on Beech Street, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved funding requests from Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais related to a more streamlined version of the shelter located at 200 Elm Street.
Ruais provided the board with a presentation (see below) highlighting progress made on Beech Street as well a brief reminder of the situation prior to the opening of the facility, hinting at previous statements to the board where he indicated without the new Elm Street facility that the city would see a regression in the city’s progress regarding tackling homelessness or potentially create a budgetary crisis where the city would have to provide hotel rooms for the individuals eligible for the new facility on Elm Street, with hoteling costing considerably more than the Elm Street option.
In particular, fear of regression on the situation of homeless encampments in the cities was a concern, with Manchester Fire Department Chief Ryan Cashin stating that there were only five identified camps with approximately a dozen people as of last Friday.
“I would rather have everyone in one place than in 30 or 40 camps,” said Ruais.
The Elm Street facility has a smaller scope than the Beech Street facility, but will continue seasonal warming center services as well as a engagement center designed to provide services that can potentially help people out of homelessness such as job training and providing new identification cards. Unlike Beech Street, sheltering in the facility will be limited to individuals over the age of 65 or individuals with clear infirmities such as missing limbs, the inability to walk or recent discharge from a hospital.
Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza felt that an individual providing 24/7 medical services to the approximately 20 people expected to shelter on Elm Street was necessary, with Ruais responding that shelters are not required to provide 24/7 medical staff and supports in place from Beech Street would be transferred to Elm Street.
Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor also expressed concern with the new facility. Kantor told Ruais she did not feel comfortable with potential sex offenders or individuals currently under the influence of drugs being on the premises, stating that this would create an unsafe environment and sex offenders need specialized shelters to help them with recovery from their specific needs. Kantor also stated that she would prefer that the Elm Street operators check identification cards to ensure that only U.S. citizens are allowed inside. In response to this, it was indicated that some of the federal funding going toward the Elm Street shelter prohibits denying shelter to those who request it based on a lack of identification or sex offender status.
Ruais also emphasized that no taxes from Manchester residents would be put toward the Elm Street facility, with the funding requests coming from a combination of Opioid Abatement funds, U.S. HUD Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), charitable gaming revenues and American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding.
Ward 11 Alderman Norm Vincent was pleased to learn that the funding sources were largely set and only required Aldermanic approval for utilization. However, Vincent did request that future funding requests come with a larger time frame than the two-week window during this meeting and a similar timeframe when funding was approved for Beech Street in September.
Alderman At-Large Dan O’Neill said that he supports the idea, but expressed frustration with what he saw as a lack of transparency regarding the number of individuals receiving employment through the engagement center, also expressing frustration with the fact that the city’s residents should know how to help businesses that have provided employment to homeless residents.
Jake King, the manager on Beech Street, told O’Neil that that information cannot be revealed for privacy concerns and much of the data comes from community non-profit partners rather than shelter staff. However, he sought to reassure O’Neil despite maintaining privacy guidelines.
“We will never put down a number if we can’t verify it, but we have standards we have to follow,” said King. “I would rather look bad than provide false information because false information solves nothing.”
The request for funding contracts for staffing on Elm Street, and usage of the facility for an engagement center and winter warming (see below) in addition to using $250,000 in opioid abatement funding, $150,000 in ARPA funding and $75,000 in charitable gaming funding was approved in a non-unanimous voice vote.
Alderman At-Large June Trisciani praised the effort put into the proposal.
“We’re seeing the results, we’re seeing that this is improving and we’re finally really moving into tackling this challenge and finally helping our most vulnerable community members and trying to help them get a leg up,” she said during the meeting.
Ruais also expressed his satisfaction with the result following the meeting, thanking the board as well as several individuals and groups that helped facilitate the proposal, hoping that it will mark a turning point in how the city deals with homelessness overall.
“This plan reflects a shift away from reactive, short-term emergency responses toward a more sustainable system that supports our most vulnerable residents while protecting our community,” he said. “We are making progress, but we know there is still more work to do.”