Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes a contract with a non-profit provider to act as the City’s Homeless Street Team. Funding for Street Teams was first included in the City’s 2016 Adopted Operating Budget to connect homeless individuals with permanent supportive housing, particularly as part of the Rethke Affordable Housing Development. Funding for the program was increased from $100,000 annually to $170,000 annually in the 2017 Adopted Operating Budget. The mission to connect homeless individuals with permanent supportive housing will remain the same in 2017.
Title
SUBSTITUTE - Authorizing (a vendor to be identified by May 2, 2017) Sankofa Behavioral & Community Health Inc. to provide Housing-Focused Street Outreach Team services - that will include identifying, engaging and connecting chronically homeless persons to local support services and systems with the primary goal of facilitating their entry into stable housing.
Body
Background
In January of 2017, the Madison/Dane County Continuum of Care identified approximately 800 individuals and more than 500 families in the County who were literally homeless. That term, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, describes a person who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, meaning (s)he:
a) has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation; or
b) is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements; or
c) is exiting an institution where s/he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution.
Approximately, 10% of homeless persons identified during the January 2017 Point-In-Time Count were unsheltered and not connected to local shelter programs. The City of Madison subsequently identified the availability of robust and strategic street outreach services as a significant barrier to securing stable housing for these persons.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on April 5, 2017 seeking a qualified entity to provide Housing-Focused Street Outreach services in order to facilitate the placement of chronically homeless persons into available housing; and
WHEREAS, the services to be provided in response to this RFP include identifying and engaging chronically homeless persons in Madison who are not enrolled in other community support services programs, and then working to ensure these persons have all documentation necessary to obtain Permanent Supportive Housing units when such units become available; and
WHEREAS, (vendor to be identified) Sankofa Behavioral & Community Health Inc. submitted a proposal in response to the City’s RFP which was deemed, upon evaluation by a review panel assembled by and including CDD staff, to be highly responsive to the requirements and preferences laid out in the RFP and worthy of being selected to provide the requested services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and the Common Council of the City of Madison hereby approve the selection of (vendor to be identified) Sankofa Behavioral & Community Health Inc. for the provision of Housing-Focused Street Outreach services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into any agreements or contract with (vendor to be identified) Sankofa Behavioral & Community Health Inc. necessary to provide the described services.