Georgetown's ARPA funds will help homeless

The Springboard Collaborative homeless village in Georgetown received a major boost May 9 when the town council voted unanimously to award $500,000 of the town’s federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to the collaborative to purchase 40 Pallet homes.

During the emotional meeting, several homeless residents, as well as human-service agency leaders, spoke in favor of the action.

The collaborative and First State Community Action Agency in Georgetown have signed an agreement for the creation of a Pallet shelter village on a 1-acre site behind the agency off North Railroad Avenue.

Pallet, based in Everett, Wash., is one of the nation's leaders in construction of rapid shelters.

Under the agreement, Springboard will lease the site to construct Pallet shelters and accompanying service buildings to house up to 60 homeless people. Two bathroom facilities are also included in the plans. The lease covers a two-year pilot program with options for two renewals.

Judson Malone, Springboard's executive director, said another $1 million in state ARPA funds for site improvements and capital costs are also available. He said awarding of the funds is pending approval by the U.S. Treasury Department.

In November 2021, Georgetown Town Council voted unanimously to support the village project.

First State and Springboard have also signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate wrap-around services to village residents.

The Georgetown project will serve as the first demonstration village in Delaware.

Malone said the new village should be ready to accept residents this fall.

The Pallet shelters are 64-square-foot prefab cabins with beds, electricity, heating and air-conditioning units. The Pallet units are used by 63 other communities nationwide to provide temporary housing for the homeless.

For more information, go to the-springboard.org, palletshelter.com or contact Malone at 302-648-2158.