Fiscal Note
Approval will provide $21,800 in Federal ESG funds to three projects. Expenses will not be counted toward the State expenditure control limits.
Title
Approving additional Federal ESG funds to assist CAC, Porchlight, and Tenant Resource Center with activities to prevent homelessness, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to sign agreements to implement the projects.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin was founded as part of the Federal anti-poverty efforts during the 1960's. The organization has grown to sponsor and administer a range of self-help, financial assistance, food/gardening, and advocacy programs in Dane and Jefferson Counties. Porchlight evolved as the merger of two Madison-based organizations, Transitional Housing, Inc., and Community Housing and Services, into a larger organization focused on the provision of housing and support services for very low-income people. The Tenant Resource Center was established to provide advice and assistance to residents of rental housing, and now provides a wide range of counseling, training and tenant-landlord mediation services.
PROJECT:
Due to $140,086 in cuts by the State of Wisconsin in the amount of Federal and State funds allocated to the Dane County area through the CD Office and a consortium of agencies working together to prevent and reduce homelessness, the CD Office worked with the Consortium to revise the State allocations and seek other available Federal funds to provide a more effective but interim package of prevention programs. CAC seeks additional Federal ESG funds to provide some additional counseling and administration of direct financial assistance for the RENT-ABLE program.
ACTION:
Whereas, the Common Council has adopted a five-year Community and Neighborhood Development 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;
Whereas, the Common Council authorized application for a portion of the ESG funds as part of the adoption of the year 2006 budget, but reserved some for specific rehabilitation projects to meet emerging needs throughout the year,
Whereas, the ESG Program, as amended, and its implementing regulations located at 24 CFR 92.200 ff., permit the City of Madison to help community agencies that help prevent or reduce homelessness, and
Whereas, CD staff and the CDBG Commission have reviewed this proposal for additional funds and find that it furthers the goals of the CD program expressed in the Five-Year Community and Neighborhood Development Plan;
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Common Council approve the provision of Federal Emergency Shelter Grant funds for the following projects and authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to enter into agreements with:
· Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin for up to an additional $6,200 in ESG funds to use in the RENT-ABLE program;
· Porchlight, for up to an additional $5,600 for Single-Room Occupancy Support Services; and
· Tenant Resource Center, for up to $10,000 for mediation services for homeless families.