County staff say Ramsey is "about 1,500 beds shy" of needed permanent supportive housing

When commissioners asked how far the county is from sufficient permanent supportive housing capacity, staff responded with a stark numeric gap.

"Data shows there were about 1,500 beds shy," Wilkins said, describing the shortage of permanent supportive housing units relative to identified need. She added that permanent supportive housing is typically the most expensive model because it combines affordable housing with case management and services, and that many programs rely on a mix of federal, state and philanthropic funds plus local match to operate.

Commissioners pressed for per-unit cost estimates; staff said they did not have an average cost ready in the meeting but would provide numbers later. Board members suggested convening providers to understand cost variation by target population (youth, domestic-violence survivors, people with serious mental illness) and to explore efficiencies in procurement and service delivery.

Staff also described alternative pathways to services (e.g., waiver programs, housing support, assisted living, emergency housing vouchers) to reduce reliance on permanent supportive housing when appropriate for a household’s needs.