On any given night, there are 850 homeless men, women and children seeking shelter in the fields, river banks and freeway underpasses of Washoe County. In 2007 every regional government leader pledged to end homelessness - and on Monday, leaders renewed their pledges, even as they faced leaner budgets.

Gathered at one meeting, the Sparks and Reno city councils, Washoe County Commission and Washoe County School District directed the superintendent, county and city managers to form a strategy to tackle the complexities of this problem.

"We are seeing a huge increase in the homeless population," said Elizabeth Dorway, Executive Director of Family Promise and Chairperson of the Reno Area Alliance for the Homeless. "Construction workers who had gainful employment are now sleeping at the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission. People who were living in homes have been foreclosed upon - people who never imagined they would become homeless."

Reno City Councilwoman Jessica Sferrazza said her experience on a low-income housing task force has made it clear that the need for affordable housing is growing.

"We have had to close the waiting list for Section 8 low-income housing because the list is so long, and we can't fulfill the need," Sferrazza said.

Managers were directed to determine the local costs of providing specific needs for homeless individuals and families, examine their budgets and collaborate to meet these needs.

Construction on a recently opened campus of facilities for the homeless has cost more than $26 million, with Sparks kicking in $638,000 - the lowest contribution for a governmental entity. In construction costs, Reno has contributed over $11 million, Washoe County has contributed $1.5 million, the State of Nevada has secured over $7 million, and over $6 million was secured from the federal government and private donations solicited by the city of Reno.

These construction funds paid for the 150-bed single men's drop-in shelter; the 70-bed single women's drop-in shelter; a 12-bed triage center caring for medical needs and referrals; the Crisis Intervention Team outreach office; construction of the 300-seat St. Vincent's dining room,which is run by Catholic Community Services of Northern Nevada and the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission (run by the Gospel Mission). The funds will also pay for the 22-unit family shelter, a 6-bed pregnant women's shelter and a community resource building where homeless people can take showers, do laundry, receive job skills training, calls and mail delivery to be able to secure long-term employment.

As facilities are built to address the needs of the homeless, funds to operate these facilities have created a budget shortfall in the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Along with the economic downturn that is causing tighter local budgets and adding more people in need of services, that shortfall is estimated at more than $800,000. The cost increases adding to the gap include providing meals, increasing overnight shelter capacity by 60 percent to 117,530 per year, and providing two full-time Washoe County social workers to effectively manage the cases of individuals and effectively solve the roots of homelessness.

The estimated shortfall was reduced from nearly $2 million, by seeking grants, reimbursed funds for services and non-monetary services from the cities and county, as well as using volunteers where appropriate, seeking partnerships with other agencies, and creating opportunities for the homeless to serve the community.

"Amid all the discussions over the economy and budget figures, it's important for us to consider the human element," Dorway said.

According to the presentation, it is expensive to maintain a person in their state of homelessness, rather than fight the roots of their problem.

Medical problems that were ignored until they reached a crisis point were found to be costly. In 2007, it cost an average of $3,722 for one emergency room visit for a homeless person, $4,440 for a 3-day hospital stay, and $214 to be transported to the emergency room by ambulance, said Jodi Royal-Goodwin, Reno Community Reinvestment Manager.

Severely drunk homeless people cost about $185 for a one-night stay in the detoxification cell at the Washoe County Jail, while the cost for one person to stay in a shelter for one month cost about $600.

"We need to welcome churches into the fold, so we can consolidate services and get help to those who need it," said Reno Mayor Bob Cashell.

However, Sparks City Councilman John Mayer spoke out in opposition of using some of the city's community development block grants toward the cost of operating the homeless assistance center campus.

The Sparks City Council approved a list of programs on which to spend the city's share of community development block grants (CDBG) Monday afternoon during the regular city council meeting.

Councilmen were informed that all agencies working at the Homeless Assistance Center campus can apply for the block grant funding through the city of Sparks. Staff said using these funds solely for the Homeless Assistance Center would leave a vacuum in the community where other unfulfilled needs existed.

The council approved the 2008-2009 CDBG and HOME Consortium Action Plan, which provides $764,719 in CDBG funds for:

* $122,700 for planning and administration for fair housing and continuum of care

* $250,000 for the city-sponsored Single Family, Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Loan and Emergency Grant program

* $300,000 ($168,779 in new CDBG entitlement and $131,221 in old entitlement dollars) with an anticipated $750,000 in Nevada Department of Transportation Steward Funds and $650,000 in city funding, toward Phase III of the Prater Way pedestrian improvements.)

* $120,019 ($92,019 in CDBG and $28,000 in City of Sparks general funds) for the Washoe County Human Services Consortium grant benefactors.