Whatcom Unified Command plans to relocate Drop-In Center after it leaves high school
Whatcom Unified Command has begun identifying an interim solution to relocate Lighthouse Mission Ministries’ Drop-In Center for the homeless once it must vacate Bellingham High School.
The overnight emergency shelter moved out of its location at 1013 W. Holly St. in downtown Bellingham and into Bellingham High School on March 20. The temporary move allowed the Drop-In Center to comply with social distancing guidelines set to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
The high school provides the space for mats for up to 200 people to be placed six feet apart, and the ability to isolate or quarantine someone if need be. The housing of homeless people is limited to the gymnasium, where men and women are separated, and the commons area, such as the cafeteria and courtyard in front of the school.
Lighthouse Mission Ministries is a faith-based organization that provides overnight emergency shelter to those who are homeless at the Drop-In Center, which has been in operation since October 2016. The organization also provides transitional housing.
Whatcom Unified Command, the multi-governmental agency that’s directing the local pandemic response, was asked last week to look into options for the Drop-In Center to relocate somewhere for anywhere from three months up to a year, Scott McCreery, incident commander at Whatcom Unified Command, and emergency management and security officer for the Port of Bellingham, told the Whatcom County Council at its Tuesday afternoon, May 19, meeting.
McCreery said the Drop-In Center is expected to move out of Bellingham High School hopefully by mid-July, but early August at the latest. He said at that time, the Drop-In Center would move to the short-term interim solution identified by Whatcom Unified Command.
McCreery said there is a long-term plan for the Drop-In Center that involves reconstruction of, or an addition to, the Lighthouse Mission building itself, but that that plan is three to four years down the road.
McCreery said it’s been a recognized long-term need for several years that an alternative location for the Drop-In Center needs to be found, but that plans have not progressed as quickly as some had hoped. He said the long-term plans for the emergency shelter aren’t progressing at a pace that can accommodate the needs for social-distancing for a vulnerable population during the COVID-19 outbreak.
McCreery said the Port of Bellingham is also working with the city of Bellingham and other partners to identify Port-owned property that the Drop-In Center would move to while the construction on the Lighthouse Mission building is happening.
McCreery said this was originally the plan after the shelter had to move out of the high school, but that there are design, engineering and permitting requirements associated with that solution that won’t be ready by the time the Drop-In Center has to leave Bellingham High.
McCreery said the Port is working on identifying existing buildings or facilities that may be able to be converted for use as an emergency shelter. He said they’re also exploring the option, which he said may be the best path forward, of creating a temporary structure, such as a frame-supported large tent, like those used for aircraft hangars. McCreery said that would require other services, such as generators, and shower and bathroom trailers.
“So while we are looking at potential re-purposing of existing hard structures, we’re also looking at the potential need to put up a more interim temporary structure,” McCreery said.
McCreery said that any costs that go above a certain level require approval from the county executive, or possibly approval from both the county executive and County Council. McCreery said he was confident that the expenditures would rise to the level that the County Council would be brought in on any decision making.
Tyler Schroeder, Whatcom County deputy executive, told the County Council that this large of a project may be considered for state or federal funding, such as from the CARES Act, the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package signed into law in late March, that might cover some of the costs. Schroeder said once Whatcom Unified Command develops options and a cost evaluation, there will be detailed plans presented to the County Council for council members to make a decision on.
“That’s what Whatcom Unified Command’s focus is right now, is that short-term interim solution while we also support the mid-term interim solution with the ultimate goal of having a hard structure that’s part of the Lighthouse Mission itself in a three- to four-year timeframe,” McCreery said at the council meeting.
