The Wilmington Task Force on Homelessness recommended the city expand resources and programs available to people experiencing homelessness.
Wilmington’s Task Force on Homelessness sent its final recommendations to Mayor John Carney Tuesday, Sept. 30.
One section of the report suggested the city welcome people experiencing homelessness to live in a city-owned park while it’s still warm out. But Task Force Chair Claire DeMatteis said that’s a temporary solution.
“By the wintertime, there needs to either open up additional existing shelter beds – and there are some shelter beds in the state that aren't being utilized because they're at high barrier shelters,” DeMatteis said. “Lower those barriers and get these folks inside.”
Carney established the task force in March to support people experiencing homelessness in the city. The 13-member group met ten times starting in May, with meetings all open to the public.
Councilmembers included representatives from the Wilmington Housing Authority, Sunday Breakfast Mission, Friendship House, Ministry of Caring, Delaware Transit Corporation, Delaware Health and Social Services, Wilmington Police Department, Wilmington City Council, Downtown Visions and two Wilmington residents.
DeMatteis said each of her colleagues walked the streets and talked with people experiencing homelessness in Wilmington.
“Everybody said, ‘We'd rather be in a day center,’” DeMatteis said. “We said to them, ‘We're looking at building these modular, tiny homes. Are you interested?’ ‘Sign me up.’ So the elements are all in place that there are people who can do this outreach, who want to do this outreach, who are good at doing this outreach. It has worked in other parts of our state, let alone other parts of our country.”
The task force recommended the City of Wilmington partner with Springboard Delaware – which runs a pallet village in Georgetown – to set up another tiny home village in Wilmington, with a possible location being near Christina Park.
Task force members visited the Georgetown pallet village and Tharros Village, the county-authorized tent city outside of Lewes.
Delaware state officials used federal funding to help open the Georgetown location. DeMatteis said the pallet village there has been highly successful. It currently houses 42 residents, according to Springboard Delaware.
“What we're recommending is, with the remaining funds, that the mayor work with a nonprofit provider – in this case, Springboard Delaware – and establish a second shelter village using these modular homes in the city of Wilmington,” DeMatteis said.
The biggest ask is financial, with the task force advising city leaders to work with Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration and establish a sustainable, continuous funding source for homeless services.
That could come from a percentage of the state alcohol or marijuana sales tax, or from the state hotel lodging tax, the task force suggested.
“If we can fund beach replenishment in this state – and we do; a portion of the hotel lodging tax goes towards beach replenishment – then we can fund homeless services in this state,” DeMatteis. “Delaware is a unified state. We have one court system. You don't have courts and counties and cities. We have one prison system. You don't have city or county prisons. We should have one funding source for homeless services in Delaware from the state.”
The report also focused on recommendations to establish a personal item storage facility and explore affordable housing options.
Mayor John Carney received the recommendations Friday and will respond in the coming weeks.
