Fiscal Note
The 2017 Adopted Operating Budget includes $50,000 in levy support for a purchase services contract to support tenant services. Funds are available in the CDD operating budget in MUNIS account 62112-54820 (Service: Affordable Housing, Object: Community Agency Contracts). Dane County’s 2017 Adopted Operating Budget also added $45,000 to be allocated to tenant services, on a prorated basis, for the remainder of the year. The proposed resolution authorizes a contract that will begin July 1, 2017, the City of Madison will invoice Dane County for $22,500 in services in 2017. Future contracts will be executed for a full 12 months.
Title
Authorizing Tenant Resource Center to provide tenant services in the City of Madison/Dane County
Body
Background:
The City of Madison and Dane County work to ensure that all residents have decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing opportunities in order to enhance household, neighborhood and community stability. The City of Madison’s Community Development Division and Dane County Department of Human Services seek to fund programs that will improve housing stability for homebuyers and renters as well as homeless and special needs populations.
Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) shows that population growth in the City of Madison and Dane County over the last ten years has been driven almost entirely by renters. A comparison of data from 2005-2007 versus 2011-2013 shows a total population increase of 9%. In the City of Madison, during that time, the number of renters increased by 25%, the number of owners increased by only 3%. While the number of renters in the community has been increasing, resources for services that support housing stability for renters have remained flat.
There are approximately 92,000 rental households in Dane County; 57,000 of which are in the City of Madison and 34,698 renters in Dane County (outside of City of Madison), for a total of 91,931. Households that spend more than 30% of household income on housing are considered cost burdened. The current estimate of the number of cost-burdened renters in Dane County is about 41,700, about 27,800 of whom live in Madison
Body:
WHEREAS the City’s 2017 Operating Budget included an additional $50,000 to support tenant services: and
WHEREAS, Dane County’s adopted 2017 Operating Budget includes $45,000 for Tenant Services and the County has agreed to combine its funds with the City’s funds to support a joint RFP for tenant service; and
WHEREAS, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on May 15, 2017 seeking a qualified entity to provide Tenant Services to tenants and landlords in Dane County; and
WHEREAS, the services to be provided include educating tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities under the law, conducting a variety of outreach activities throughout the year, conducting workshops, and using other methods deemed appropriate to inform low-moderate income renters and landlords about available tenant services in the community; and
WHEREAS, Tenant Resource Center, Inc submitted a proposal in response to the City’s RFP which was deemed, upon review by CDD staff and an experienced review panel, 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 hereby approve the selection of Tenant Resource Center, Inc for the provision of Tenant Services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into any agreements or contract with Tenant Resource Center, Inc necessary to provide the described services.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Common Council amends the Community Development Division budget in 2017 by accounting for the receipt of $22,500 from the county for use in supporting tenant services.