Johnson Street Community Center Shelter Neighborhood Meeting, August 22 at 6pm

Hello Southgate Triangle Neighbors,

Please join us at  a neighborhood meeting on Tuesday, August 22, at 6 p.m. at the gym in Franklin School to discuss the reopening of the Johnson Street Community Center Shelter. This will be an informational public meeting with representatives from the City of Missoula, the Poverello Center and Black Knight Security and Investigation available to provide details and answer questions.

Houselessness continues to be a pressing issue for members of the Missoula community.  Our housing crisis, combined with a short supply of shelter space, steeply rising costs of housing and a large number of people living unsheltered, has led the City of Missoula and Missoula County to reopen the shelter previously open during the winter. The City is committed put together funding to operate it for one year. 

As you likely know, in 2020, 2021, and 2022, the City of Missoula established an expanded Emergency Winter Shelter Program at the Johnson Street Community Center with support from Missoula County. This temporary shelter can sleep up to 165 people each night. During the past three winters, it has preserved hundreds of lives of individuals who otherwise may have frozen to death in bitter temperatures.

This year, the City of Missoula, Missoula County, and the Poverello Center are again partnering to provide an emergency shelter program in the same location at 1919 North Ave. W, The shelter will be open from September 2023 to August 2024, as needs dictate. The City and area partners are beginning the process of determining a long-term shelter solution for the Missoula community. The plan and possible location for this has yet to be determined.

We recognize that the center's presence brings benefits and also challenges to the community. We appreciate your understanding as we continue the program for another year and move toward future permanent solutions. 

Please join us on August 22 to discuss and have questions answered. If you have questions at any point, please reach out to Ginny Merriam, City of Missoula Communications Director, at MerriamG@ci.missoula.mt.us or (406) 552-6007. 

We look forward to connecting with you!

All the best,

Mayor Jordan Hess and City of Missoula staff