Elaina Bradley, Sheltered Inc. executive director, this month said about $56,000 will be allocated to the emergency shelters and about $35,000 will go toward rapid rehousing with deposit assistance and the payment of first month’s rent. She said Sheltered Inc. was eligible to apply for these funds after the city found no mismanagement of funds it awarded the nonprofit in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
In February 2023, Clark County terminated a portion of a $700,000 contract — of which about $495,000 was reimbursed — with Sheltered Inc., which officials said was due to “multiple violations” in regards to the reimbursement of funds found following a review.
Prevention, Retention and Contingency, or PRC, is a program through Ohio DJFS that provides work support and other services to low-income families. This program is funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a federally funded program.
“The most glaring [issue] was the lack of proper [Prevention, Retention and Contingency] applications for recipients of services,” wrote Clark County DJFS director Ginny Martycz in a memo asking the county to terminate its contract. “Additionally, it appears there were requests for reimbursement for items paid for by other funding sources.”
Following the end of this contract, Sheltered Inc. closed one of its two emergency shelters, reduced staffing, ended services at low-income Woodford Apartments and reduced hours at its remaining emergency shelter. Funding from OIC starting in July allowed Sheltered Inc. to return to normal hours.
At the time OIC awarded funding to Sheltered Inc., OIC executive director Mike Calabrese said he and OIC’s board of directors wanted to do everything in their power to “stabilize” the nonprofit, with it being the most well-equipped to handle the local homelessness crisis with its facilities and experts.
Calabrese said OIC “monitored every dollar” it gave Sheltered Inc. and encountered no issues with documentation and invoicing “other than the normal learning curves when using new funding.” Any issues were immediately addressed, he said.
This funding came to an end late last month with American Rescue Plan Act dollars running out. Calabrese said then the nonprofit has spent $607,000 to support more than 600 people at Sheltered Inc.’s homeless shelters and local hotels as of April 11.
Sheltered inc. has now reduced the hours at its men’s shelter to 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and with it comes cutting about half a dozen employees. Hours may also have to be reduced at the family shelter, Bradley said.
The city has a $1.34 million agreement and the county a $350,000 with Dayton-based homelessness shelter nonprofit Homefull to provide emergency shelter and case management in Clark County. The county agreement is set to expire in July.
The shelter, at the former site of the Executive Inn, has 75 units and provides non-congregate housing.
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