Emergency Shelter Project

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Bremerton Low Barrier Shelter 

At its regular meeting on 1/17/2024, the Bremerton City Council considered Item 6D which included three alternative resolutions related to development of a low-barrier homeless shelter for the City: 

  • Resolution No. 3374 to confirm the Administration’s recommendation to develop a low barrier walk-up congregate homeless shelter at 100 Oyster Bay Avenue North (not adopted)
  • Resolution No. 3375 to affirm the City’s commitment to working with community partners to develop a hybrid low barrier congregate and pallet shelter (adopted)
    • This resolution committed support to  the community partners’ development of a shelter, identified the intent to direct $1.3M in funding including $1.1M in ARPA grant funding to the community partners’ shelter, and suspended further development of the Administrations shelter at 100 Oyster Bay Avenue North.
  • Resolution No. 3376 to affirm commitment to increasing homeless shelter options in the City (not adopted)
    • This resolution would have authorized the Administration to continue development of its low barrier shelter at 100 Oyster Bay Avenue North while concurrently encouraging other organizations to present feasible options, with ultimate selection of the shelter to move forward to be decided at a later date. 

Copies of the three resolutions, presentations from the City Staff and community partners, and public comment related to the resolutions can be found in meeting packet material aggregated at the link below.

At its regular meeting on 12/18/2024 the Bremerton City Council approved an interlocal agreement with Bremerton Housing Authority to formally obligate the $1.1 million of ARPA funds and $200,000 of Real Estate Excise Tax to the hybrid shelter project.  

Information on the City’s shelter project progress before the suspension is below. For questions regarding the community’s project please reach out to Joe Crain at Kitsap Community Resources or Jill Stanton at Bremerton Housing Authority.  

City’s Shelter Project Overview (before 1/17/24 Council action)

Over the past few years there has been a noted rise in homelessness both in our city and across the nation. This issue has tested the limits of the City’s resources and our commitment to ensuring that every member of our community has access to safe, dignified, and stable housing. With the goal to address the immediate needs of the homeless while ensuring our Parks, neighborhoods, and other public spaces are protected from unregulated camping and to address the expected closure of the emergency low barrier shelter at Salvation Army, the City began pursuing options to build a low barrier shelter in Bremerton in the fall of 2023. The City’s proposed timeline for build-out of a shelter was fall of 2024. 

Shelter Type Selection 

The City contracted with RPM, a firm with expertise in rapidly responding to homelessness issues by creating plans and designing various shelter models for communities across the western United States. For Bremerton, RPM reviewed local area needs to understand which type of shelter would best address  homelessness issues in our community. RPM evaluated three shelter options: a sanctioned tent encampment, a tiny home village, and a congregate shelter. See below a copy of RPM’s statement of qualifications and their scope of work.

RPM presented their findings and the recommendation for a congregate navigation center and shelter at the City Council study session meeting on 12/13/2024. This option provides 24/7 shelter for clients along with an opportunity for full wrap around supportive services within one indoor facility. For more information regarding RPM’s recommendation please review the presentations linked below.

Shelter Site

The City owned property directly north of the Public Works and Utilities Facility at 100 Oyster Bay Avenue North was identified for development of the City’s proposed shelter.  City owned property was proposed for the project to reduce the overall cost of the project and to expedite development of the project to meet the Fall 2024 opening date.  For more information regarding how the site was selected, see the Emergency Shelter Site Presentation (PDF).  

Mayor Wheeler and City Staff provided an update to City Council on October 11, 2023.

Mayor Wheeler and staff gave a project update to City Council on October 25, 2023.

Emergency Shelter Project Site MapShelter site vicinity map

Schedule
Emergency Shelter Project Schedule Opens in new window

Community Outreach

Mayor Wheeler and staff provided regular updates on the progress of this project to the City Council. A community outreach meeting was held at Bay Vista Summit on November 28, 2023, with additional community outreached planned to occur throughout design, construction and operation of the shelter. Outreach by the City was suspended upon passage of Resolution 3375 when responsibility for the shelter was transferred to the coalition.  

Resources