Las Vegas seeking homeless shelter operator

Thursday, May 30, 2002 | 11:07 a.m.

The city of Las Vegas formally began its search for someone to run Southern Nevada's largest homeless shelter Wednesday, issuing a Request for Qualifications and ads in local media.

But some of the region's established shelters said they may not even apply, citing uncertainties in the request about funding and the condition of buildings in the shelter complex.

At issue is exactly what the city is looking for in a replacement for San Diego-based Rev. Joe Carroll's nonprofit group when it leaves the MASH Village shelter in October, and how much money the new agency will have to bring to the table.

Carroll's group ran the site for eight years before announcing April 1 that it lacked funds to continue the job. The city, which owns the shelter, must now find a replacement. The agency chosen must offer a range of services, including transitional housing and access to social services, according to the request.

But initial reactions to the request were less than enthusiastic.

"The language in this request tells me that there are neither guarantees nor a lack of guarantees in many places, and this is a great concern," said Frank Richo, director of residential services for Catholic Charities, one of the largest nonprofit agencies in the Las Vegas Valley.

"The key in looking at something like this is not biting off more than you can chew,"

Brenda Dizon, executive director for The Shade Tree, Southern Nevada's largest shelter for women, was more emphatic.

"In reading through the request, the first thing I thought was, 'There's no way we can apply for this,"' she said.

Dizon said the document left "too many unanswered questions," causing her to "read between the lines." She said the request protects the city and offers applicants few guarantees, including any future beyond February.

But city employee Bill Arent, who wrote the request, said the city is willing to work with applicants, and that he hoped agencies "were not reading into something that's not there."

The keys, as in many discussions about helping the valley's estimated 8,000 to 10,000 homeless men and women, are money and accountability.

The request covers the five months from October through February, when a $1.57 million federal grant that Carroll's agency received in 2001 is due to run out. It says the new agency may request any of the funds left over from the grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, but doesn't give a dollar figure.

Arent said that number isn't available yet.

"Not knowing how much HUD money is left makes the process more difficult," Dizon said.

Carroll's agency recently applied for the same grant for 2003-2005 and has agreed with HUD that the funds could be transferred to the new agency -- if the application is accepted and if the new agency reaches an agreement with the city to continue at the site after February. But HUD won't decide on the grant until December, adding another uncertainty for potential applicants.

"Not many nonprofits that I know of are large enough, with enough financial reserves, to take this on," Dizon said.

Also at issue are the conditions at two of the site's main buildings -- the transitional living center, which has a capacity for 300 beds, and the crisis intervention center, which houses more than 18 social service agencies.

The request says that both buildings "may require some mechanical, plumbing, and electrical improvements."

"I can guarantee you that these sites definitely need extensive improvements -- especially the transitional living center, which is falling apart," Richo said.

"It's a huge problem that this part of the request isn't more specific. ... Would the applicant have to pay for the repairs, or the city?"

Another concern raised by shelter officials was the deadline for responding to the request -- July 15.

"We don't even have a board meeting until June 29," Richo said.

Arent said the rush couldn't be avoided, given that Carroll is pulling out at the end of September and federal money is at stake.