Microshelters for the homeless are on their way to approval in Corvallis.

City Manager Mark Shepard announced Monday he has approved the first 30-day permit for shelters at the Corvallis Evangelical Church .

Shepard, who made the announcement at a virtual City Council meeting at the downtown fire station, said the First United Methodist Church also has submitted an application for a permit.

City Council approval is required to extend the permits to 90 days, and Shepard said that it was likely that councilors will be acting on multiple requests for extended permits at the April 20 council session.

Although issues involving the coronavirus outbreak dominated the 80-minute session conducted via video, it was the homeless piece that drew the most discussion.

Shepard said that the move “is in response to the crisis we have now and not to solve the homeless problem.”

The city also is working with churches that want to receive approval as temporary shelters for the homeless.

Councilors expressed concerns about the closure of public restrooms in city facilities. Port-a-potties have been installed at all city facilities that had permanent ones, Shepard confirmed, because the city does not have enough staff with personal protective equipment to clean the facilities.

The contractor who provided the port-a-potties also is responsible for their cleaning.

Community members have volunteered to add hand-washing stations to the port-a-potty sites and Shepard said “we are facilitating that.”

Shepard also said that the city is not posting removal notices at homeless campsites at this time. The city also is collaborating with the men’s cold weather shelter on SE Chapman Place to make sure the tents behind their facility are being safely supervised.

Councilors also asked Shepard about how much city funding might be available to assist with coronavirus outbreak issues. Shepard noted that there is about $40,000 in the mayor/council budget and another $640,000 in the general fund contingencies fund.

“The City Council could direct those funds as they see fit,” said Shepard, who added that he preferred all such funding requests be aligned with the needs of the city/county emergency operations center and the work of the Benton County Health Department.