Fiscal Note
Up to $10,000 will be reallocated from the 2013 adopted City operating budget for Miscellaneous Appropriations: County Day Shelter to the budget of the Community Development Division for the administration of appropriate contracts. Funds will be used to reimburse non-profit’s actual expenses; any remaining funds will return to be used for the County Day Shelter. There is no net impact upon the City levy.
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SUBSTITUTE - Resolution authorizing the approval of up to $10,000 to pay for additional costs of providing shelter to homeless families and individuals on cold weather exception days, amending the 2013 adopted City operating budget to re-appropriate funds from Miscellaneous Appropriaitons, and authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with The Salvation Army of Dane County.
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Background: When the weather is forecasted to be 20 degrees or colder, actual temperature or wind chill, the single men’s shelter operated by Porchlight and the single women’s shelter operated by The Salvation Army, open their facilities to everyone needing shelter. The only exception is persons who are banned from the men’s shelter as a result of violence against staff or other guests and/or the sale of drugs. Both the single men’s and single women’s shelter are operated as night’s only shelter with overflow guests accommodated by the use of cots in downtown area churches or The Salvation Army gym.
For families with children, a 14-bed overflow shelter referred to as the emergency family shelter or warming house, began operating as a seasonal overflow shelter in 2003; due to demand it was expanded to year round operation in 2008. Once the 14 beds are occupied, The Salvation Army has no other options to shelter homeless families who are turned away without services. During the last week January, The Salvation Army used their own funds to pay for motel vouchers for these families. However, this practice is not sustainable as the costs are high.
These three o...
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