Several assembly members raised concerns July 10 about families with children living in unsheltered encampments and reported difficulties those households face accessing shelter and rehousing resources.

One member said she was researching whether the municipality should require year-round shelter capacity for families with children rather than rely on seasonal cold-weather shelter and whether the municipality should change housing placement priorities. “Right now, we prioritize people into housing that have been unhoused the longest,” she said, adding that alternative prioritization could give preference to households ready for housing, families with children, or people with employment.

Members discussed exploring how to increase shelter access and whether the municipality’s policies or priorities should be amended. The member said she had begun preliminary research and would continue exploring options; no ordinance or formal directive was proposed at the meeting.

Members asked administration staff to study federal funding impacts from recent federal legislation and to assess municipal preparedness for potential funding changes; one member suggested inviting the federal delegation to brief the assembly on impacts.