SPOKANE, Wash. — The Hope House shelter in downtown Spokane will be closing its doors at the end of January, meaning the loss of 100 shelter beds in the middle of winter.
Hope House provides services to women aged 18 and older, including 100 beds, 24/7 services, housing case management, access to a community health worker to address housing, and connection to community-based primary care and behavioral health services. In the last year, Hope House has helped more than 500 women, according to its website.
Volunteers of America, which operates Hope House, said the closure is due to a lack of funding.
Hope House said it received nearly $500,000 from the City of Spokane and Spokane County for the expansion of 30 beds and 24/7 operations during the COVID emergency. Those funds will run out this month.
Volunteers of America said the total annual shortfall for Hope House is $1.5 million and it has no funding to remain open past January 31, 2023.
According to the Hope House website, the space, originally known as the Downtown Women's Shelter was founded in response to the 1997 murders of women on the streets of Spokane. Volunteers of America has operated the shelter since 2001.
City of Spokane spokesperson Brian Coddington sent KREM 2 the following statement regarding the closure:
The City asked yesterday to schedule a meeting with Volunteers of America to talk about their concerns believing a direct conversation about future needs is the best way to work toward a solution. The City will provide approximately $1 million to VOA this year and issued a call for proposals yesterday to fund the continuation of space next year to operate locations that provide places to sleep indoors and connect to services. Volunteers of America has the opportunity to apply for those funds and the City would invite them to submit a proposal. Public funds are awarded through a competitive public process.
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