Fort Wayne council delays vote on $2.75 million homeless resource-center request

Fort Wayne City Council voted 5-3 to delay action on Mayor Sharon Tucker’s request to use $2.75 million for a proposed homeless resource center at 333 E. Washington Blvd.

The June 22 action was a postponement, not an approval of the funding or a purchase of the proposed site. Council members agreed to make a final decision later, with the published report pointing to an August decision.

Funding proposal combines city and federal-recovery interest

The request totals $2.75 million and draws from two identified sources: $2.1 million in Community Development funds and $650,000 in interest generated by American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The proposed allocations add up to the full amount requested. The city is considering whether to direct those funds toward acquiring and supporting the resource center, rather than whether a completed center is already in operation.

Sharon Tucker is Fort Wayne’s mayor, according to the city’s Mayor’s Office. Her request is now still before the council following its decision to hold the matter rather than immediately approve it.

Proposed site is near the Rescue Mission

The proposed facility would be located at 333 E. Washington Blvd., near the Rescue Mission. The request concerns a homeless resource center, but the available report does not establish whether the proposed purchase would include renovation expenses or operating costs.

That distinction is significant for the council’s pending action: the reported request identifies money for acquisition and support of the center, but does not provide a complete breakdown of all potential costs associated with the site or the facility’s future operations.

Timing of final action remains unclear

Council members agreed to revisit the funding question during the August 2026 schedule, according to the report on the June vote. The report also references a Sept. 1 hold date.

Because those references point to different dates, the exact date of the final council vote should be confirmed against the current council agenda. Until council takes that later action, the $2.75 million request remains a proposal under consideration.

The pending decision will determine whether the city moves forward with the proposed use of Community Development money and interest generated by American Rescue Plan Act funds for the resource-center plan at East Washington Boulevard.