County officials declined to share additional details about the contract termination. Clark County Public Information Officer Mike Cooper said the commission was not able to comment.
The commission approved a sub-grant agreement with the nonprofit, formerly called Interfaith Hospitality Network, in June 2021. It awarded $700,000 in federal funding through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) fund, according to the agreement the Springfield News-Sun obtained through Ohio public records laws.
The Clark County commission approved the funding for the nonprofit to provide emergency shelter and case management services to people facing homelessness from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.
Sheltered Inc. executive director Elaina Bradley said her office was notified of the contract termination on Thursday.
“Sheltered Inc. has been a sub-grantee of this grant for nearly two decades,” Bradley said in an email.
The Clark County Department Job and Family Services monitors the program annually, Bradley said, and the organization has no previous annual monitoring findings.
“We remain committed to carry out our mission and serve those faced with homelessness,” she said. “We are currently providing services to 240 individuals within the community.”
Sheltered Inc. is a partner in the county and city’s joint homelessness task force. The task force consists of Clark County and Springfield agencies and organizations geared toward housing, employment, mental health and more. It was started months back to gather more information about how many people locally lack stable housing and what long-term solutions can help address the boom in homelessness.
The task force is led by Tina Koumoutsos, housing coordinator at the Clark County Combined Health district. Koumoustos said on Friday she was aware of the contract termination.
Springfield City Commission in recent months approved the purchase of the Villager Inn on West North Street for $1.7 million and the Executive Inn on West Columbia Street for $2.2 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The hotel spaces are being rehabilitated for use as a homeless shelter, and city officials said the plan upon purchase was to transfer ownership and management of the shelter spaces to Sheltered Inc.
The News-Sun has filed public records requests for documents related to the county and its contract with Sheltered Inc.
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