Service providers warn of coordination gaps after Christina Park sanctuary closure; committee outlines homelessness, seniors and health priorities

Leslie Palladino, director of overdose prevention and outreach at Impact Life, and Brian Dietz, chief operations and compliance officer, addressed the committee on June 24 about gaps they encountered serving residents at Christina Park after the city designated the site a sanctuary and a new provider took over operations.

Palladino said Impact Life had longstanding relationships with many residents and made repeated written and verbal attempts to coordinate after the contract changed. "We were informed that outside providers could not enter the site or provide services without prior authorization from this new awarded provider," she said, and described unanswered requests for communication. She urged the city to ensure that "all qualified service providers have a seat at the table" so outreach, harm reduction, healthcare linkage and housing navigation continue without interruption.

Committee members asked about Impact Life’s capacity and outcomes. The speakers said the organization has operated for six years, runs statewide resource hubs and a Wilmington drop‑in center, and that under a recent DSHS grant they served 78 individuals since launching on February 1. They described a 92% internal satisfaction rate for clients and said their model emphasizes warm handoffs and transportation when needed.

Staff then presented draft committee strategic priorities and solicited feedback. Elijah Simmons, chief of staff to City Council, and Dr. Kendra Brumfield, legislative policy and research director, summarized themes gathered from one‑on‑one council member sessions and recommended concentrating on homelessness response and coordination (including expanding permanent supportive housing), senior well‑being (inspections, check‑in programs, senior outreach) and community health/outreach (food justice, tree canopy and extreme heat mitigation). Members and public commenters stressed pedestrian safety, senior housing conditions, heat mitigation and the need for transparent communication about Head Start grant transitions and relocations after the Christina Park closure.

Public commenters asked the county and administration to improve logistics for relocated residents, flagged transportation limits for motel placements and urged Council to consider legislative remedies for housing trust issues. The committee did not adopt final priority language but directed staff to capture feedback and return refined recommendations for committee action.