Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution amends the Community Development Division’s (CDD) 2024 Adopted Operating Budget (Munis project 76121) to accept up to $237,000 in federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds from Dane County and increase corresponding expenses for purchased services for the use of Benevate Inc.’s Neighborly Software system. The increase reflects the County’s portion of administration fees for the use of the Neighborly Software system, which is used to administer Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Funds. The resolution would also authorize the City to amend the contract between the City and Benevate Inc. to reflect increased user fees. The additional $237,000 in ERA funds from the County and ERA funds already authorized in CDD's Adopted Operating Budget will fund the increased contract costs.
Title
Authorizing an amendment to an Emergency Rental Assistance Program contract with Benevate, Inc., which governs the use of Benevate Inc.’s Neighborly Software system in administering Federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds provided to the City, to sustain efforts to prevent evictions and promote housing stability for eligible households in Dane County affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; and amending the Community Development Division's 2024 Operating Budget to reflect use of these funds, additionally accepting up to $237,000 from Dane County to pay administration fees related to its use of that system.
Body
BACKGROUND
On December 21, 2020, Congress enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133, Public Law 116-260, a/k/a "COVID Relief Act"), which included $25 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding ("ERA1") to be distributed by the U.S. Treasury Department to state and local governments for use in preventing evictions and promoting housing stability among households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this Act, the City of Madison had received a direct ERA1 allocation of nearly $7.8 million (RES-21-00042, ...
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