TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Jodi Phelps, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Christopher Cauley, MPA, Director, Economic and Community Development
DATE: March 9, 2026
RE:Title
Agreement with Cumberland County for Joint Funding of Year-Round Temporary Emergency Shelter
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal IV: The City of Fayetteville will be a desirable place to live, work, and recreate.
* Objective 4.6: To reduce poverty and homelessness.
Executive Summary:
Council is asked to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Cumberland County for joint funding of a year-round temporary emergency shelter.
Background:
The Salvation Army of the Sandhills has historically provided overnight shelter services, including 67 beds and White Flag sheltering when Cumberland County Emergency Management determines that overnight temperatures with wind chills are expected to fall below 32 degrees. On April 15, 2025, The Salvation Army's Pathways of Hope Shelter abruptly ceased operations, leaving the community without an overnight emergency shelter.
Emergency shelter serves as a critical resource for individuals experiencing homelessness, providing immediate safety and connection to supportive services. The closure of The Salvation Army's Pathways of Hope Shelter significantly reduced available overnight shelter capacity in the community and increased demand on other local providers serving unsheltered residents.
On December 15, 2025, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved authorizing the County Manager to move forward with contract negotiations at a cost not to exceed $1,000,000 to support the continuation of emergency shelter services at The Salvation Army. The County requested that the City Council consider participating in the funding effort. Any contribution provided by the City would reduce the total amount funded by the County.
Issues/Analysis...
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