County’s grant rules ‘too risky’ for Sonoma homeless shelter

Sonoma’s homeless shelter will not pursue a $40,000 County grant because its restrictions, including the waiving of drug testing and the ceding of local control, are risky and counter to the agency’s mission, Sonoma Overnight Support announced today.

The “very tough decision” represents a loss of 13 percent of the SOS total budget.

The County’s Housing First model, based on federal guidelines, will launch next month. It demanded the shelter adhere to new rules and regulations, including allowing entrance to clients without testing for drugs or alcohol.

But waiving the current ‘clean and sober’ requirement for the three-bedroom shelter would be too disruptive, said SOS Executive Director Kathy King. “We can’t risk the sobriety of our own residents by accepting homeless persons that we would not be able to drug test.”

Maintaining a drug and alcohol-free environment “is huge,” she said. Under the new rules, Haven staff could not have removed clients that were high or drunk. “It’s ridiculous.”

For the last 10 years SOS has operated the nonprofit in a small, three-bedroom modular home, called the Haven, owned by the City of Sonoma.

The requirements of lowering the barriers may work in much larger shelters and in bigger cities, King said, “but it won’t work in a small shelter like the Haven.”

The shelter’s admission and wait-list policy is handled by Haven staff. Another condition of the grant was to hand that control to County officials, who could have placed clients from outside the community. King said it was important to reserve the ability “to deal with homeless people from the City and Sonoma Valley. We have a responsibility to serve our own homeless community.”

After several months of discussion with the County, the board of directors decided that the new requirements for Housing First are not compatible with the SOS mission, said Cindy Vrooman, president of SOS. “The Board of Directors is very grateful for the three years of financial support but simply cannot put our shelter at risk.”

“We’re confident our community partners will come forward, and we will be able to make up for the funds that we cannot accept, in order to continue reaching out to those most in need in our community,” Vrooman said.

SOS operation of its Winter Emergency Shelter is under a separate contract with the County and is not affected. It opened December 1 at the Sonoma Alliance Church.