Missoula’s Temporary Safe Outdoor Space (TSOS) is a safe, healthy, secure, staffed (24/7) environment that serves individuals experiencing homelessness, with the ultimate goal of helping them secure permanent housing. It's a partnership between Missoula County, HOPE Rescue Mission and United Way of Missoula County, with a one-time financial contribution from the City of Missoula. HOPE Rescue Mission staffs and operates the site, while United Way and Missoula County government provide logistical support.

Initially set up in response to the pandemic, the Missoula TSOS has become a model for how to successfully offer people experiencing homelessness a safe space to live while connecting them to appropriate, sustainable housing resources and providing a reliable location for case managers and service providers to reach clients. 

“Temporary” refers to the goal for residents, not the location. The primary goal of the TSOS is to connect residents to the resources they need to obtain sustainable permanent housing. Since it opened at the end of 2020, the site has served hundreds of people and helped them move onto a secure housing solution.

Originally located on private land near Buckhouse Bridge south of Missoula, the site relocated to County-owned land at Mullan and Broadway, near the detention facility. The residents moved to the current site in January 2023. The current site can house approximately 35 to 40 people at a time.

The TSOS includes the following facilities and services:

• 30 hard sided shelters manufactured by a company called Pallet 
  • Each 100-square-foot is equipped with beds, lockable doors, windows, electricity, heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. 
• Hard-sided bathrooms equipped with showers, as well as a trailer to serve as office space for staff. 
• Outreach workers, onsite case management, safety precautions
• Wellness screenings and links to hotels, housing, health care services and recovery options
• Personal protective equipment (masks, gloves) and cleaning supplies
• Work-readiness programs (resume assistance, job search assistance  guidance, interview preparation)

The TSOS was initially set up in 2020 to address capacity constraints on local providers of shelter, food and services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many unhoused people are living on the streets or in their vehicles, which is not safe during a Montana winter. Many of those individuals have served our country and are veterans of the U.S. military. A number of them live in unsafe environments, like the former encampment off Reserve Street. There are increased reports of people camping in local neighborhoods. These locations lack access to trash removal or bathrooms and pose an environmental, health and safety hazard for those who are camping, as well as the community.

Having a safe, legal, secure environment with health precautions and links to services reduces the demands on emergency responders and the healthcare system and results in better outcomes for everyone.

The TSOS is considered a “low-barrier” site, and participation is behavior-based. All participants are required to initial and sign a written agreement with Hope Rescue Mission – both when they enter initially, and whenever they come and go from the site – that includes behavioral expectations, rights and responsibilities. Only approved participants in TSOS are allowed on the property, with a No Trespassing policy posted and enforced. This differs from the Authorized Camping Site, which had minimal barriers.

Since it opened in late 2020, the TSOS served more than 400 people, with 275 moving onto a permanent housing solution, including long-term recovery. 60% of residents maintain full-time employment.

Hope Rescue Mission manages and operates the TSOS, providing peer support and case management. Other members of the local faith community — such as River of Life Ministries, Cornerstone Church, and Christian Life Center — provide outreach, connect TSOS participants to services, including long-term housing. United Way of Missoula County coordinated pre-opening logistics, with support from Missoula County’s Office of Emergency Management.

Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money awarded to the County and City will cover the cost of setting up the new site near the detention facility, with funding for operations available through the end of fiscal year 2025. Costs to set up the site are about $1.48 million, which includes purchase of the shelters, bathrooms and office, as well as construction. The annual cost for HOPE Rescue Mission to operate the site is $408,000.

The initial site near Buckhouse Bridge was reimbursed through federal CARES Act funding, so no local property taxpayer dollars were used. 

The county declared a state of emergency and activated its emergency operations plan in response to COVID-19 in March 2020. Under that plan, the county has an obligation to address the immediate health and safety needs of our population, which includes people experiencing homelessness. The emergency operations plan directs staff to work with other agencies and community partners as needed to meet this obligation, which is how the county formed partnerships with the private landowner and partner agencies on this project. The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management and Public Works performed some work up front to prepare the site, which also falls under the scope of the emergency declaration, and the cost of which was reimbursed with CARES Act funds. 

Housing is the ultimate goal. Local advocates work to meet people where they’re at with the City's Coordinated Entry System, which aims to prevent and divert households from entering the homeless system, reduces duplication of services, provides data to improve outcomes, and results in prioritizing limited housing resources. Coordinated Entry not only saves lives, but it saves our community money as well. TSOS is a point on the continuum of the CES and serves the important role of providing wraparound services to people interested, willing and capable of moving forward to help them integrate in a healthy manner into our community.  

Staff at the TSOS are working with several other services to make sure that we’re not putting people back out into homelessness, such as the mobile crisis response team and case management. Staff are also connected with nursing homes, group homes and recovery centers to help people find the best fit to help them succeed. 

People experiencing homelessness, especially for prolonged periods, are operating in survival mode and can feel unsafe almost constantly. This makes it especially difficult to take the steps necessary to obtain housing and employment or receive treatment for mental health and addiction issues ꟷ  steps that those who have not experienced homelessness may take for granted. Many of the people living at the TSOS feel safe and secure for the first time in years and are more readily able to take those next steps, especially when they have direct access to the necessary services and have the opportunity to build consistent relationships with case managers and others who can help them move forward. In reality, the TSOS and similar safe and secure spaces enable residents to take steps forward and find stability, ultimately exiting homelessness.

Organizations or individuals wishing to assist with Missoula TSOS should call April Seat, Director of Outreach at Hope Rescue Mission, at 406-203-1043.

TSOS partners greatly appreciate donations and ask that you call Hope Rescue Mission if you are interested in donating. Please do not bring donations to the TSOS site. Items that are most helpful at this time include $10 Visa gift cards, sunscreen and $20 pre-paid laundry cards. Financial donations to Hope Rescue Mission for ongoing operational needs are also greatly appreciated. Small items for donations may be dropped off at Hope Thrift Boutique at 702 SW Higgins Ave. Financial donations can be made online at www.hopemontana.org, by check or by texting STAYSAFE to 41444.