City of Vancouver shares 6-month progress report for first Safe Stay Community

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) - The City of Vancouver released its 6-month progress report for its first Safe Stay Community, a place designed to help people transition out of homelessness.

The first Safe Stay location opened on December 23. Since then, the City said it has made 74 referrals to agencies for medical and media health care as well as education, employment, housing and pet care.

According to the report, the Safe Stay community also helped 14 people transition into housing.

Organizers said there was a 30% reduction in police calls and officer visits within a 500ft radius of the community compared to the same time last year. There was also a 10% reduction in fire and EMS calls to the same address.

“It was just a relief,” said a man who used to stay there with his wife and now lives in permanent housing. He called the shelter a Godsend.

Organizers said communities across the county are looking at Vancouver’s Safe Stay Program as a model and have received inquiries from more than 20 groups from places like Alabama and Tennesee.

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