Fiscal Note
Cost of the projects, totaling $428,099, will be covered by the State and Federal grants and administered through a segregated fund. The City will receive separate funds for administration in an amount that will be specified at the time of contracting with the state.
Title
Authorize the CD Division to submit and authorize the Mayor to sign an application to the state Division of Housing for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Transitional Housing Program (THP) and Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) funds on behalf of specific agencies providing housing and services to homeless persons; authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute agreements with specific non-profit agencies using ETH funds for services for homeless individuals and families.
Body
Background: The city of Madison has worked closely with a group of community-based non-profit agencies that provide services and housing to homeless persons and those at risk of becoming homeless. This cooperation involves City sponsorship and administration of an annual application to the State of Wisconsin for federal and state funds for various projects.
The Division of Housing determined awards based on a formula using data from monthly homeless census counts, poverty data, unemployment data, and population data. Dane County is being awarded $428,099
The application is comprised of five initiatives: 1) homelessness prevention; 2) street outreach, 3) rapid re-housing; 4) emergency shelter; and 5) transitional housing programs. The Division of Housing states that a minimum of 30% of the grant must be spent on rapid re-housing activities in Dane County. Rapid Re-housing activities are those that move homeless individuals and families from the street or emergency shelter to housing in as short a time as possible.
The CDD proposes that the City continues its relationship with Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin (CAC) as the lead agency for providing financial assistance and housing stabilization services to persons at risk of homelessness and those who are homeless. A requirement in the City's contract with CAC is that a portion of the grant funds are set aside for use by a consortium of homeless services agencies to refer eligible applicants for assistance.
There are 15 projects in the City's application that will serve homeless and at-risk populations by offering a specialized approach or set of services to strengthen the continuum of care for homeless persons in the community. These agencies include: Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc.; Dane County Parent Council, Inc.; Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.; Porchlight, Inc.; The Road Home Dane County, Inc.; The Salvation Army of Dane County; Stoughton United Ministries; Tellurian UCAN, Inc.; Tenant Resource Center, Inc.; YWCA of Madison, Inc.; and Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin, Inc.
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; and
Whereas, the Common Council has accepted the Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in Dane County which includes goals and objectives representatives of these activities: and
Whereas, the CD Division staff have worked collaboratively with interested Homeless Services Consortium agencies and jointly developed a prioritized list of projects for submission to the State for funding:
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Common Council accept the following projects as part of the City's application for funding with the State; authorize the mayor to sign the application; accept Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) funds when awarded from the WI Department of Administration and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute agreements with the state and specific non-profit agencies providing housing and services for homeless persons.
Community Action Coalition for South Central WI - Rentable Program; $155,000 for financial assistance to help prevent homelessness through payment of back rent for those facing eviction and security deposits or first month's rent to move persons from homelessness to housing and for case management staff to assist households obtain and maintain stable housing. A portion of these funds are set aside for use by participating HSC agencies.
Dane County Parent Council - Hope House Services; $15,618 for case management and resident manager to assist young women with children enrolled in Early HeadStart to obtain and maintain stable housing.
Legal Action of WI - Eviction Prevention; $7,809 for legal services to prevent evictions that lead to homelessness.
Porchlight - STABLE Program; $22,691 for staff and operating expenses for the STABLE Program which provides supportive housing for homeless single adults with substance abuse issues.
Porchlight - Medical Outreach Program; $15,742 for emergency mental health services for homeless individuals who are identified through Porchlight's outreach program and served by staff at the HEALTH Hut.
Porchlight - PTO Employment Readiness Program; $11,137 for employment services for transitional housing residents who have AODA issues.
The Road Home Dane County - Shelter Case Management; $19,522 for case management services for homeless families with children who are sheltered at The Road Home's shelter system and on the waitlist.
The Salvation Army of Dane County - Medical Shelter Vouchers; $9,312 for motel vouchers and case management to serve homeless families with children and single adults with medical issues who are not physically able to use conventional emergency shelter.
The Salvation Army of Dane County - Shelter Case Management; $19,522 to serve homeless families who are on the waitlist for emergency shelter in an effort to provide services while waiting to access shelter.
Stoughton United Ministries - Pathways to Self-Sufficiency; $12,025 to provide support services for households at risk of homelessness.
Tellurian - Employment Specialist; $24,917 for staff costs to provide assistance to homeless single adults residing at Tellurian's Transitional Housing Program to find and maintain employment.
Tenant Resource Center - Housing Mediation Services: $11,713 to provide mediation services for tenants and landlords at Eviction Court.
Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin - Youth Street Outreach; $25,000 for case management services for homeless unaccompanied youth.
YWCA of Madison - Second Chance Tenant Workshop Case Management; $21,396 for support services for persons who graduate from the tenant workshops to help them find and maintain stable housing.
YWCA of Madison - Rapid Re-Housing Program; $56,693 a partnership with The Salvation Army and The Road Home to provide supportive services and rent subsidies for homeless families with children to help them obtain and maintain stable housing.