Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the execution of contracts with four community agencies utilizing fiscal year 2023 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) funds authorized in the Community Development Division's (CDD) 2025 Adopted Operating Budget. The authorized funds are in fund 1205 (Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fund) within Munis projects 73223 and 73323. No additional City appropriation required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor, on behalf of the City of Madison, to accept and execute grant agreements for two FY23 YHDP grants from HUD; and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute associated 2025 YHDP contracts with OutReach, Inc., Briarpatch Youth Services, Inc., Center for Community Stewardship, and Institute for Community Alliances. (Citywide)
Body
BACKGROUND
The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an initiative developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness-both unaccompanied minors and youth ages 18-24. YHDP emphasizes youth voice and leadership. The Madison/Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC)’s Youth Action Board (YAB) provides this leadership. The City of Madison worked with YAB and other community partners to successfully secure the FY2020 YHDP grant in the amount of $2,293,291 for the initial two-year demonstration period. The City of Madison serves as the Collaborative Applicant and recipient of the grant, subcontracting with agencies recommended by YAB and approved by the CoC Board of Directors.
The YHDP funding will be renewed annually as part of the CoC’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) application process The YHDP funding must continue to be used for youth-specific projects. For 2025, the available FY23 YHDP funding amounts are $360,000 for the Supportive Services Only (SSO) project (which was renamed "Youth & Young Adult (YYA) Connections" for 2025) and $811,858 for the Joint Transitional Housing Rapid Rehousing (TH/RRH) project.
In 2024, the following agencies were awarded YHDP funds and contracted with the City of Madison for the following activities:
• OutReach, Inc.: Supportive Services Only (system navigation and youth drop-in center)
• Briarpatch, Inc.: Joint TH/RRH
• Urban Triage: Joint TH/RRH
• Center for Community Stewardship (C4CS): YAB member compensation and administrative fee
• nINA Collective Cooperative: Supportive Services Capacity Building (2024 only)
OutReach and Briarpatch plan to continue their services and the CoC Board of Directors agreed to renew each agency’s funding in 2025. Urban Triage is not seeking renewal of its TH/RRH grant after its current contract expires on December 31, 2024.
The City of Madison issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on October 10, 2024 to seek a new provider for TH/RRH services. No proposals were received. However, OutReach and Briarpatch did express interest in operating RRH programming and have agreed to share the RRH programming funds equally, each serving approximately five households. They submitted written proposals to the City, which were subsequently approved by YAB on November 16, 2024, and by the CoC Board of Directors on November 18.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the Common Council has adopted the 2020-2024 City of Madison Consolidated Plan, which identifies homelessness as a critical issue within the community and outlines a set of strategies and priorities to address those problems using community-based groups; and,
WHEREAS, the City's 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, which is currently in development, likewise identifies homelessness as a critical issue as described above; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has long been integrally involved in local efforts to end and prevent homelessness, and is a member and active participant in the Madison/Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC); and,
WHEREAS, the Madison/Dane County CoC applied for and was awarded $2,293,291 in FY20 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) grant funds via a 2021 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO); and,
WHEREAS, on August 2, 2022 (RES-22-00565, Legistar #72663), the Common Council authorized the City of Madison to assume responsibilities as YHDP Lead Agency for the distribution and oversight of YHDP grant funds, however, decisions regarding the use of those funds rest with the YAB and the Dane County CoC Board of Directors; and,
WHEREAS, the available FY23 YHDP funding amounts for 2025 include $360,000 for the Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Connections project and $811,858 for the Joint Transitional Housing Rapid Rehousing (TH/RRH) project; and,
WHEREAS, the Dane CoC Board of Directors approved the 2025 YHDP funding plan on November 18, 2024, as follows:
• OutReach, Inc.: up to $156,707 for RRH and up to $340,050 for YYA;
• Briarpatch, Inc: up to $491,258 for Joint TH/RRH;
• Center for Community Stewardship (C4CS): up to $52,103 for YAB compensation and administrative fee ($35,753 for Joint TH/RRH and $16,350 for YYA);
• Institute for Community Alliances (ICA): up to $11,467 for HMIS administration ($7,867 for Joint TH/RRH and $3,600 for YYA).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor to execute, on behalf of the City, two FY23 YHDP HUD grant agreements for TH/RRH and YYA activities described herein; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute 2025 Purchase of Service contracts for the above mentioned agencies and in the specified amounts, upon execution of the HUD FY23 YHDP grant agreements.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to accept future grant agreements, in a form approved by the City Attorney and Risk Manager, with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for YHDP grants, subject to the receipt of each year’s funds being appropriately recognized in the Community Development Division’s budget.