14. Request for Sinopah House Assistance - Western Montana Mental Health Center4D City of Kalispell
Post Office Be, 1997 - Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997 -Telephone (406)758-7700 Fax(406)758-7758
REPORT TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
MEETING DATE:
The Honorable Mayor Boharski and City Council
Susan Moyer, Community Development Director
Chris A. Kukulski, City Manager
Western Montana Mental Health Center Request For Assistance For Sinopah
House
August 20, 2001
BACKGROUND: The attached letter from Western Montana Mental Health (a non-profit) seeks
$10,000 in funding assistance to construct an eight -bedroom Therapeutic Group
Home for homeless, adolescent girls with severe emotional disturbances (SED) as
part of the Mental Health Center "Kalispell Campus" development, a 2+ acre site
up in Buffalo Commons.
Western Montana Mental Health (WMMH) has a $57,000 gap in being able to
create a debt -free building that would reduce reliance on State subsidies for
facility costs and allow more of their funding to be used for staffing and direct
services. They are requesting City and County each contribute $10,000 to the
construction costs for the girls' home. This will enable WMMH to utilize more of
the revenues from their State contract for operating revenues and case
management support.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff asks Council to approve the payment of $10,000 assistance to the
construction of the new girls youth home. Sinopah House as well as the Tenant
Base Rental Assistance for Samaritan House were two of the top three affordable
housing needs identified during this year's public hearings process. By
encouraging these non -profits to apply themselves through a special HOME
Funding process for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs),
the City was able to live up to its commitment to the Second Avenue West Senior
Housing Project. Ultimately, the $10,000 donation is considerable less than the
Community Development Department and the City would have invested were
they to be pursuing these projects on behalf of the non -profits.
As in the Samaritan House request for assistance, the Community Development
Loan Revolving Fund #2880 is the suggested source for payment. Much of this
account is Program Income funded through previous housing activity grants.
FISCAL IMPACT: The $10,000 investment by the City of Kalispell will assist in a $537,000
investment by Western Montana Mental Health in our community.
ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by Council.
Respectfull ubmitted,
Susan Moyer, Director
Community Development
Date Compiled: August 7, 2001
Attachment: WMMH letter of request.
Chris A. Kukulski,
City Manager
Patricia Kent
Bldg T-9. Fort Missoula
Missoula, MT 59804
7 August 2001
Susan Moyer, Director
Community Development Department
City of Kalispell
PO Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903
Dear Susan:
This letter is to request your consideration of a $10,000 grant towards the construction of
the new Sinopah House, an eight bedroom, Therapeutic Group Home for homeless,
adolescent girls with severe emotional disturbance (SED), to be developed by the non-
profit W. MT Mental Health Center.
Sinopah House was created in 1994,ao address aglaring gap in the mental health system:
homeless, SED girls did.not have a;treatment option anywhere within the re ion;
notwithstanding the many.placement,options for young men. Consequently, out of state
placement, away from family, friends and school was the only choice, disrupting even
further and already fragmented life. Sinopah now. provides.8 of just 20 beds throughout
the entire state for adolescent SED girls.
The current Sinopah House is inappropriate in both location and size, the floor plan does
not allow adequate supervision, and extraordinary funds are required to make the current
home fully accessible. In addition, the home is in need of significant repair. The new
Sinopah House will be designed to meet the special needs of the residents and will be
located on the Mental Health Center "Kalispell Campus", a 2+ acre site currently under
development on Windward Way. All Center programs will be co -located on the Campus
within separate and architecturally distinct buildings, to better serve clients and enhance
treatment coordination among providers. The Campus is also proximate to Kalispell
Regional Hospital.
Extensive on -site supportive services include 24/7 awake staff who work not only with the
residents, but therapeutic sessions can include families, teachers and anyone who plays an
important role in their lives. Residents continue to attend their school while at Sinopah.
Average length of stay is 18 months. Operating revenues are dependent upon a State
contract and additional Mental Health Centen support ofabout $10,000 annually: Because
of the critical need for Sinopah, the financial goal of the new Sinopah House is create a
debt -free building, thereby reducing reliance on State subsidies for facility costs and
enhance the longterm, viability of Sinopah House.
BEAVERHEAD • DEER LODGE • FLATHEAD • GRANITE • LAKE • LINCOLN
MADISON a MINERAL 0 MISSOULA • POWELL • RAVALLI 0 SANDERS 0 SILVER BOW
Page 2
Susan Moyer
7 August 2001
Total development cost is estimated at $537,000. Participating funders include: FHLB
Seattle: AHP grant $56,000; W. MT Mental Health Center and Garden City CHDO:
$62,000 equity. Proposed funding: HOME program $358.000. Additional grant funding
of $57,000 is needed. City of Kalispell funds would go directly towards construction costs.
and reduce the $57,000 gap. Construction will commence in August'0I with occupancy
by spring 2002. A detailed Sources and Uses Statement is attached.
I hope this provides you with the information you need. Should you have any questions or
need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me at 728-6870 xl 14.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
t
Patricia Kent
Director of Housing and Development
USES
Land Acquisition:
Construction 4,500 s.f @ $85. s.f.
Construction Contingency
Interest/Loan Fees/Appraisal/
Furnishings/Telecom/ Appliances
Arch./ Proj. Mgr/
Dev. Fee 5%
Admin.
Total:
SOURCES
HOME Grant
AHP Grant
GC CHDO/Equity
MHC
Architects donation
Loan/other grants
Sinopah Sources and Uses
31,500
$382,500
$ 20,000
$ 10,000
$ 20,000
$ 39,100
25,000
8,900
$537,000
$358,000
$ 56,000
$ 25,000
37,090
3,910
57,000
Total $537,000