Missoula County and the POV Will Manage Existing Homeless Shelter

A crucial shelter site for Missoula’s unhoused population will remain open under new management following a vote by county officials.

The Missoula County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve an agreement with the Poverello Center to staff and operate the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space, known as TSOS.

The shelter program, located on county-owned land at Mullan Road and Broadway near the detention facility, was originally run by Hope Rescue Mission. Earlier this year, Hope Rescue Mission announced plans to wind down its role at the site to focus on other organizational priorities.

A new approach to temporary shelter

The newly approved two-year, $800,000 agreement with the Poverello Center ensures operations will continue uninterrupted. Funding for the contract comes from the repayment of mental health funds the county loaned to Western Montana Mental Health Center in 2023.

First established in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic through a partnership with United Way of Missoula County and Hope Rescue Mission, TSOS serves individuals who often do not access traditional shelter resources.

READ MORE: Update From Missoula County Commissioners and the TSOS

What is the TSOS?

The secure, staffed facility features 30 hard-sided shelters equipped with beds, lockable doors, electricity, heat, and air conditioning. It accommodates roughly 35 to 40 people at a time while connecting them with case managers and permanent housing services.

“No single organization can solve homelessness on its own,” said Jill Bonny, executive director of the Poverello Center, noting that the site demonstrates what local government and service providers can achieve collaboratively.

United Way will continue to provide organizational support. County officials expect residents to begin moving back onto the site on November 1.