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County approves ARPA funds for homeless shelter, housing for autistic adults

Barnstable County

With just over a month left to allocate remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds before the December 31 deadline, the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners approved grant agreements for two projects that will help address the housing crisis on the Cape.

For one of the projects, the Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) received $3 million in ARPA funds to secure a new and improved location for Saint Joseph’s, the homeless shelter in Hyannis.

CEO of Housing Assistance Corporation Alisa Magnotta thanked county commissioners for their support at a meeting Tuesday.

“This new shelter location will give us the opportunity to have medical respite and medical services, give us the opportunity to have a robust day program and bring in other program partners, as well as a bigger location,” she said.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River will run services for unhoused people out of the new building.

Duffy Health Services provides medical care to those in need. Headquartered in Hyannis, Duffy Health will now run a clinic out of the new homeless shelter.

The CEO of Duffy Health Center, Heidi Nelson, told commissioners that this setup will make it easier for unhoused clients to receive health care.

“We're thrilled that we'll be able to be in this co-located space so that people who are the shelter guests will be able to just walk down the hall to see a doctor, rather than having to walk across town,” she said.

Over the next six to nine months, HAC will work toward closing on the real estate sale and securing permits necessary to begin construction.

Commissioner Ron Bergstrom warned that permitting may be a challenge due to stigma against unhoused people. He said he saw this first-hand during his time on the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates.

“There could be bumps in the road. Not everybody likes services provided to the homeless—they would rather just pretend they don't exist,” he said. But, he added, “besides the financial support through ARPA, you certainly have my support and the support of the commissioners as you go through the process.”

Also at the meeting, commissioners approved $326,850 for eight one-bedroom apartments for adults with autism and related disabilities.

The housing project is through the organization Friends or Relatives with Autism and Related Disabilities (FORWARD). FORWARD president Kathy Ohman told commissioners that this infusion of funds was the last bit her group needed to close on its financing.

Commissioner Sheila Lyons praised FORWARD’s members for their hard work.

“It really came out of Kathy's idea, having had experience having children with autism, and a group of friends,” she said. “It does go to show you great things can be done by a small group of people.”

The apartment complex is being built on land leased to the organization by the town of Dennis. The town is charging FORWARD $1 per year for the 99-year lease.

Both projects were years in the making, and received ARPA funding just before the end-of-year deadline set by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Gilda Geist is a reporter, a producer on Morning Edition, and the local host of Saturday Weekend Edition.