By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — The Springboard Collaborative Pallet Shelter Village, opened in January 2023 as a transition from homelessness to self-sustainability, is facing financial difficulties, according to its co-founder and executive director.

While the collaborative continues efforts to seek funding, concern has surfaced about its future, Judson Malone said this week.

The town of Georgetown provided $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act monies for the purchase of the village’s 40 self-sustaining cabins, off Kimmey Street on property owned by the First State Community Action Agency.

During a Town Council meeting Monday, Councilman Penuel Barrett questioned the status of the facility and the fate of the cabins, considering the stated fiscal challenge.

“If it doesn’t succeed, is that $500,000 we gave them gone?” he asked.

Town manager Eugene Dvornick responded, “The $500,000 was given specific to the purchase of the (cabins), with a caveat that (they) had to be used within the town limits of Georgetown. ... In theory, they could be sold. Another organization could take over what Springboard is doing and run the same operation.”

Mayor Bill West is optimistic, however.

“I can guarantee you right now, Penuel, it’s not going to fall through,” he said. “We’ve got some trying times, but we are outreaching to the state government. I think they are going to come through to help us. If not, we have got another organization right ready to take over.”

Mr. Dvornick added that “there has been very high-level discussions between the board of directors for the Springboard Collaborative, First State Community Action Agency and the town of Georgetown.”

When anticipated large-scale funds did not materialize, Mr. Malone said, the program recently underwent major reorganizing.

“Once we knew that we were going to be short of funds, we restructured, and we laid off our site coordinators,” he said. “Those are the people (that) would have coverage around the clock, 24/7. That’s expensive to have (that) many personnel, even if they are part time.”

In place of those staffers are village participants who are in a Resident Steward Program.

“We decided that we’ve been in existence long enough, and the community of our people has kind of evolved,” Mr. Malone noted. “Over time, the village has calmed down. People are coming and going. It’s more like a neighborhood, a normal community.”

Those in the Resident Steward Program are paid a small stipend.

“In return, they take turns doing community watch, as well as other activities. It has been wonderful. It has given them a real sense of commitment,” Mr. Malone continued.

To date, about 130 people have come through the shelter village.

Before the restructuring, Springboard’s monthly expenses ranged from $90,000-$100,000, he said. Afterward, the individual cost per day per participant was reduced from about $85 to $63.

Mr. Malone remains hopeful.

“This started as a pilot project. It was meant to demonstrate that we can have a serious impact on homelessness. We have succeeded in doing that. But our long-term goal was to make it a public-private partnership. The town, Georgetown, has been with us every step of the way,” he said.

“We have very high confidence that we will get through these financial struggles and keep on going. We want this demonstration to be successful because we want to replicate it across the state.”