Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution amends the 2024 Adopted Operating Budget for the Community Development Division (CDD) to reflect the acceptance of $100,000 in additional grant award amounts on behalf of the Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC). The additional grant award amount will support the Housing Assistance Program (Munis project #83223).
This resolution also authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute contract amendments with Focus Counseling and The Salvation Army of Dane County to allocate the additional $100,000 toward each agency's Rapid Rehousing efforts.
Title
Authorizing the City of Madison, on behalf of the Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC), to accept $100,000 in additional EHH funds from the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration; authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an amendment with Focus Counseling and the Salvation Army of Dane County to provide services using the additional funds; and amending the Community Development Division's 2024 Adopted Operating Budget to recognize the additional grant revenue and commensurate expenditures.
Body
BACKGROUND
The City of Madison works closely with Dane County CoC member agencies that serve people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless and provides leadership and administrative support to the group. This collaborative work includes the City's administration of the State of Wisconsin EHH grant (EHH) on behalf of the Dane County CoC. EHH funds combine the HUD Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), State of Wisconsin Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) and Housing Assistance Program (HAP), and support the following eligible activities: emergency shelter, street outreach, homeless prevention, rapid re- housing and other housing programs, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and administration.
In the current 2023-24 EHH grant cycle, the Dane County CoC initially received $627,616 in EHH funds. Recently, the State allocated an additional one-time $100,000 of HAP funds to the Dane County CoC from surplus unspent funds from other CoCs. The additional HAP funds must support housing programs that serve households experiencing homelessness, allocated to already approved EHH programs, and must be spent by September 30, 2024.
City staff engaged in discussions with the two agencies that meet the State’s criteria for using the additional funds: Focus Counseling and the Salvation Army of Dane County. With them, staff prepared an allocation plan, consistent with State requirements, that will use the funds within the specified time. The plan allocates $80,000 to Focus Counseling to hire a new staff position and enroll five new households in its Rapid Rehousing program for singles, and $20,000 to TSA to extend its services to two additional households in that agency’s Rapid Rehousing program for singles and families. The Dane County CoC Board approved this plan on March 6, 2024.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the Common Council authorized the City of Madison, on behalf of the Dane County CoC, to enter into a contract with the State on September 21, 2023, to administer $627,616 in EHH grant funds through the City’s Community Development Division (CDD) (RES-23-00593; Legistar #79615); and,
WHEREAS, the State awarded an additional $100,000 in HAP funds to the Dane County CoC on February 27, 2024, to be expended by September 30, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, CDD staff collaborated with eligible providers currently under contract for EHH funds to draft a plan to use the additional funds, awarding $80,000 to Focus Counseling’s Rapid Rehousing Program and $20,000 to TSA’s Rapid Rehousing program, which received approval from the Dane County CoC Board of Directors on March 6, 2024.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to amend the existing 2023-2024 EHH contracts with Focus Counseling and TSA, adding $80,000 and $20,000 of HAP funds, respectively, to carry out the described activities; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council amends the Community Development Division’s 2024 Adopted Operating Budget to recognize the additional grant revenue and commensurate expenditures.