HOPE Advisory Board Meeting - January 14, 2026

The Benton County HOPE Advisory Board convened on January 14, 2026, to discuss coordinated efforts addressing homelessness in the community. Key procurement-related topics included the planning and potential formation of work groups focused on improving pathways from unsheltered homelessness to housing and better coordination of funding streams for rental assistance and services. The Coordinated Homeless Response Office (CROW) highlighted ongoing initiatives such as a Request for Information (RFI) to explore models for supported property management for new housing developments, with plans to issue the RFI by early February 2026. Updates were provided on the Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool program, which has successfully re-housed 58 households, and efforts to engage property managers through outreach and focus groups. The board also discussed the importance of leveraging multiple funding sources to sustain shelter bed capacity and housing assistance programs. Additionally, the meeting covered upcoming state requirements for shelter system planning and the Point-in-Time (PIT) count for unsheltered individuals, including volunteer recruitment and incentive purchases. No formal votes on contracts or budget allocations were recorded, but the board emphasized the need for continued collaboration and endorsement of work group planning to enhance service delivery and funding coordination.