Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution amends four contracts administered by the Community Development Division for the provision of services related to unsheltered homeless support and rental assistance. Each of the four contract amendments extends the period of performance to enable to completion of previously approved activities. There is no change in the total contract amount or services provided. The proposed contract amendments are as follows:
1. State of Wisconsin Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) - CDBG-CV2: Extend the City’s contract with the State of Wisconsin to support operations at the Dairy Drive campground and temporary men’s shelter through June 1, 2023. The agreement was originally set to expire April 1, 2023.
2. Center for Community Stewardship - Youth Homeless Demonstration Planning Project (YHDP): Extend the City’s contract with the Center for Community Stewardship and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through August 31, 2023. The original agreement had a performance end date of February 28, 2023.
3. Fiscal Assistance, Inc. - Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program: Extend the City’s contract with Fiscal Assistance, Inc. through December 31, 2023. The agreement was originally set to expire on June 30, 2023.
4. Occupy Madison Solar Project: Extend the City’s contract with Occupy Madison through December 31, 2023. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2022.
The resolution authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute contract amendments to reflect the updated performance period. No additional City appropriation is required.
Title
Approving the extension of contracts between the City of Madison and several partner agencies including the State of Wisconsin, the Center for Community Stewardship, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Fiscal Assistance, Inc and Occupy Madison, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute contract amendments with each of the identified agencies.
Body
BACKGROUND
The City of Madison, with authorization from the Common Council, routinely contracts with partner agencies to accept, administer and/or utilize program funds through the Community Development Division. Activities previously authorized by the Council under four contracts referenced in this resolution require additional time to complete, and an extension of the performance periods of their contracts. This resolution seeks Council authorization to extend those contracts to enable the completion of the activities. The contracts include the following:
State of Wisconsin Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) - CDBG-CV2
The Common Council authorized acceptance of a pass-through grant award of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) CDBG-CV2 funds from the State of Wisconsin in the amount of $493,377 on August 31, 2021 (RES-21-00611; Legistar File #66682). These funds were reserved for Public Service activities benefiting vulnerable populations, in particular homeless services. On October 11, 2022, the Council allocated up to $260,000 of CDBG-CV2 funds to MACH Onehealth to pay for supportive services at the City’s Dairy Drive campground (RES-22-00685) and awarded the remaining funds to Porchlight, Inc. through the 2023 Adopted Operating Budget to support operations at the Temporary Men’s Shelter. The executed agreement with the State of Wisconsin expires April 1, 2023. However, billable activities had to be completed by January 31, 2023. The State has approved a grant extension to March 31, 2023, to close out billable program activities and a final performance end date of June 1, 2023.
Center for Community Stewardship - Youth Homeless Demonstration Planning Project (YHDP)
On August 2, 2022, the Common Council accepted a pass-through grant award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a planning grant associated with YHDP (RES-22-00565; Legistar File #72663). The planning grant supports staff to develop a Community Plan and provide support to a Youth Action Board (YAB) that played a key role in creating the program requirements for YHDP. The planning grant also provides compensation for YAB members who participate in meetings, and for engagement opportunities related to YHDP. Staff and YAB members are under the employment of the Center for Community Stewardship, which functions as a fiscal agent for the Dane County Continuum of Care. The planning grant had an original performance end date of February 28, 2023. However, due to staff turnover and vacancies on the YAB, the planning grant has approximately $32,000 of funds remaining. The City has requested up to a 6-month extension of the planning grant from HUD and, in conjunction, seeks to extend the contract with the Center for Community Stewardship to cover the same performance period (August 30, 2023).
Fiscal Assistance, Inc. - Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program
As part of an effort to find safer, and legal, alternatives for persons camping in the City’s Reindahl Park, and other unsheltered locations, the Common Council, in 2021, authorized the use of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) aid funds to help develop and implement unsheltered response initiatives (i.e. the Dairy Drive sheltered campground and Unsheltered Response Hotel program) for adults experiencing unsheltered homelessness (RES-21-00621, Legistar File #67137; and RES-21-00770, Legistar File #68103). Subsequently, the Common Council authorized a Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program to provide up to 12 months of rental and utility payment assistance to participants of the unsheltered response initiatives (RES-22-00511, Legistar File # 72116). That effort allocated $420,000 of federal HOME TBRA funds and was key to preventing those participants from returning to homelessness, and approved Fiscal Assistance, a local non-profit agency, to facilitate housing payments.
The City of Madison TBRA program started in July 2022 with Fiscal Assistance, Inc. as the housing payment processing entity and Focus Counseling as the service provider. The program has enrolled 20 participants, housed eight and continues to work with remaining participants to help them secure housing, as of February 15, 2023. TBRA funds remain available to support continuing efforts. That is a function of several factors - fewer people enrolling in the program than initially projected, the extended length of time needed to help them obtain housing due to significant obstacles they confront, and the decision to take advantage of other (State EHH) funding to support these efforts. As the need for housing support remains, there is still use to be made of remaining TBRA funds. However, the contract with Fiscal Assistance is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2023. Extending the contract with Fiscal Assistance through December 31, will allow the program to assist currently enrolled participants in obtaining and/or maintaining housing. Focus Counseling is already positioned to provide supportive services to all enrolled participants through the 2022-23 State EHH grant contract.
Occupy Madison Solar Project
The Common Council authorized $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) aid funds for the Occupy Madison Solar Project (RES-21-00487; Legistar File # 65935). Occupy Madison planned to install solar panels at two tiny house village locations within the City of Madison in 2022. However, due to construction delays that were outside of the organization’s control, the planned project did not take place in 2022. Occupy Madison has requested an extension, through December 31, 2023, to complete the project.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the Common Council accepted a pass-through grant award of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) CDBG-CV2 funds from the State of Wisconsin in the amount of $493,377 on August 31, 2021 (RES-21-00611; Legistar File #66682); and,
WHEREAS, the CARES CDBG-CV2 funds were allocated to MACH Onehealth to support operations at the City’s Dairy Drive campground and to Porchlight Inc. to support operations at the temporary men’s shelter through March 31, 2023; and,
WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin has granted an extension of the allowable billing period for eligible CDBG-CV2 activities from January 31, 2023 to March 31, 2023 and a performance completion date to June 1, 2023; and,
WHEREAS, the Common Council also accepted a pass through-grant award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a planning grant associated with YHDP on August 2, 2022 (RES-22-00565; Legistar 72663); and,
WHEREAS, the planning grant has a remaining balance at the end of the performance period and a contract extension, to August 31, 2023, within which to use the funds has been requested; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison is contracting with Fiscal Assistance, Inc. to administer federal HOME TBRA funds as part of a program to help individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness secure stable housing, a contract scheduled to expire on June 30, 2023 (RES-22-00511, Legistar File # 72116); and,
WHEREAS, Focus Counseling, the TBRA program’s supportive services provider, has assisted 20 people through the program and is still working with other eligible participants to obtain housing; and,
WHEREAS, sufficient TBRA funds remain to assist with rental and utility payments through December 31, 2023; and,
WHEREAS, Occupy Madison was awarded $150,000 of ARPA funds by the City to install solar panels at two tiny house village locations in 2022 (RES-21-00487; Legistar File # 65935); and,
WHEREAS, Occupy Madison was not able to complete the project in 2022 due to construction delays and has requested an extension, through December 31, 2023, to complete the project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council approves the extension of the City’s contract with the State of Wisconsin regarding the use of federal CARES CDBG-CV2 funds to support operations at the Dairy Drive campground and the temporary men’s shelter through June 1, 2023, and authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contact amendment with the State of Wisconsin to that effect; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council also approves a contact amendment with the Center for Community Stewardship and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to extend the use of federal YHDP grant funds s through August 31, 2023 and authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contract amendment to that effect; and,
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council approves an extension of the contract between the City and Fiscal Assistance, Inc. regarding the continued administration of federal TBRA funds through December 31, 2023, and authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contract amendment to that effect; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Common Council approves an extension, to December 31, 2023, of the contract between the City and Occupy Madison regarding the use of federal ARPA funds to install solar panels at two tiny house village locations in Madison, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contract amendment to that effect.