City Council members said Tuesday they would approve $50,000 for a winter night homeless shelter, while chiding officials of the Homeless Coalition for not correctly applying for funding.
Steven Wright, a former board member who became executive director of the Homeless Coalition last June, said that situation will not happen again. He said the group has already begun working on the upcoming budget request to the city.
He said the Community Kitchen has been filling the void by using volunteers and current daytime staff to keep the facility open some nights recently, including in the current bitter cold.
Mr. Wright said the funding is for a two-month program that includes a variety of staff, including social workers, off-duty police officers and supervisors.
Councilwoman Carol Berz called it "grossly negligent" that the group did not apply for the funding earlier.
Councilman Chris Anderson said, "It's hard for me to fathom that we are learning last week that it's going to be cold."