Washoe County Community Homeless Advisory Board Meeting - March 16, 2026

The Community Homeless Advisory Board (CHAB) met on March 16, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM. The meeting included public comment, a vote to retain the board, presentations from service providers, and discussion of future legislative priorities. The board unanimously voted not to dissolve itself and discussed expanding membership to include individuals with lived experience.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kimberly Coshman raised serious concerns about Grant Denton and the Karma Box Project, alleging that court-ordered community service hours were fraudulently signed off (including 60 hours by Matthew Grimsley and Grant Denton) and that background check permissions were left blank. She requested suspension of relevant contracts, a full independent audit, and investigation into whether domestic violence offenders had improper approvals.
• Emma Dhodi, a volunteer, criticized the CARES campus as always full despite alleged abuse, and argued that the board should not be disbanded. She urged board members to volunteer with homeless populations before making decisions.
• Paul White (Education Crusade) called the current homeless programs a “complete failure” and urged humility and a new approach based on proven models.
• Pam Darr called for transparency, measurable goals, and guardrails to prevent the homeless population from growing. She expressed concern about people coming from outside Washoe County.
• Drew Rebar (candidate for Nevada Assembly District 40) criticized waste and abuse, particularly with Karma Box, and called for public records accountability for nonprofits receiving government funds.
• Melanie Denny advocated for a comprehensive long-term plan addressing root causes of housing affordability, including land banks, zoning changes, and recruiting employers with living wages.
• Virginia Wiggins alleged that the VOA committed Class D felonies against her and demanded a full audit of VOA and their contract with the county.
• David Nyberg (Associate Pastor, St. Paul's United Methodist Church) asked for help for a 63-year-old man in a wheelchair with congestive heart failure, noting that many fall through cracks.
• Tricia Creedon called for a stop to sweeps, criticized the CARES campus as a “prison,” and requested interactive meetings.
• Matthew Wilkie opposed dissolving the board, noted that the board's agenda was missing from the usual website, and called for expanding the board to include people with lived experience. He also raised concerns about cross-jurisdictional transportation of homeless individuals.
• Stephen Markley emphasized the importance of the board for giving voice to unhoused people and criticized CARES campus trauma, especially for women.
• Kelsey Owens stated that the board is not effective but should not be dissolved; she argued that the city prioritizes policing over care, and called for including lived experience.
• Brian Wadsworth (candidate for Washoe County Commissioner District 5) urged the board not to be dissolved, supported expansion, and called for humanity in conversations.
• Christian Brown opposed dissolution, suggested reallocating police funds to community care, and noted the upcoming aging population that will need care.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the December 2, 2025, CHAB meeting were approved with no public comment.

Discussion Items

• Item 5: Discussion and possible action to recommend dissolving the CHAB. Chair Clark noted the item was requested by members who were absent. Vice Chair Rodriguez (Sparks alternate) and Councilmember Anderson (Reno) spoke in favor of keeping the board. The board voted unanimously not to dissolve the board.
• Item 6: Discussion and possible action to recommend modifying resolutions to add members and/or rename the board. Chair Clark proposed adding private citizens (non-voting) with lived experience. Board members agreed to take the idea back to their respective governing bodies for further consideration, but the item was tabled due to lack of specifics.
• Item 7: Presentation by RISE (Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equity). Executive Director Benjamin Castro and Program Manager Mary Charles reported that from 2022 to 2025, RISE conducted 867 initial engagements, resulting in 260 direct housing and shelter placements. Total expenses were just over $1 million, equating to about $1,200 per engagement and under $4,500 per housing placement. They emphasized that 90% of staff have lived experience.
• Item 8: Presentation by City of Reno Clean and Safe Team. Director Cynthia Esparza reported that in fiscal year 2025, the program cost $7.6 million (mostly from general fund). The team conducted 148 cleanups, issued 764 notices, and collected 3,022 cubic yards of waste. Since 2022, over 22,000 service requests were received. The program also includes City Walks (169 walks and 700 community contacts).
• Item 9: Presentation by Washoe County Sheriff's Office HOPE Team. Sergeant reported that in 2025, the team made 2,930 contacts (34% increase from 2024), with 2,728 resources accepted (94% increase), and housed 194 individuals (35% increase). Arrests were only 4 (all warrant arrests). They launched the Clean Path Initiative for rural encampments, providing food, water, trash service, and case management in exchange for site maintenance and housing progress.
• Item 10: Board member announcements. Commissioner Hill called for legislative support to fund permanent supportive housing, noting a need for 1,200 units. Chair Clark agreed and also highlighted the high cost of CARES campus units ($480,000 for 320 sq ft). Councilmember Anderson requested a presentation from the Larson Institute. Public comments followed, including calls for unarming the HOPE team, addressing housing retention funding, and legislative advocacy.

Key Outcomes

• Vote to retain CHAB: Motion to not dissolve the board passed unanimously.
• Expansion discussion tabled: The board agreed to take the idea of adding non-voting members with lived experience to their respective governing bodies for further discussion.
• Future agenda items requested: Presentation from the Larson Institute; legislative priorities for permanent supportive housing funding and regional responsibility for homeless services.
• Public comment acknowledged: The board heard extensive testimony and will consider follow-up actions, including staff contact with David Nyberg regarding assistance for a client.