Title
Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator to Allocate up to $89,318.00 for the 2014-15 Winter Emergency Shelter and Warming Center Response (8 Votes Required)
Body
Whereas, The 2013-14 winter season was particularly brutal for Washtenaw County residents - and no more so for those most vulnerable residents struggling with homelessness;
Whereas, The local sheltering system was stretched beyond capacity to accommodate the overwhelming demand for safe, warm space during the near-constant emergency weather conditions;
Whereas, The Office of Community & Economic Development - on behalf of the City of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and the local Continuum of Care Board - and the Washtenaw Housing Alliance convened a Winter Emergency Shelter/Warming Center Response work group in the fall of 2014;
Whereas, The workgroup proceeded to review the scope of the problem, surface and evaluate a set of possible solutions, and explore a variety of community partnerships and funding sources;
Whereas; The recommendations include funding the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County to support up to 50 additional spaces in a rotating, overnight warming center for the months of January 2015 to March 2015 to be housed in three local churches each hosting one month;
Whereas, The recommendations also include funding the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County to support a consistent, daytime warming center from November 2014 through March 2015 to be housed in its Delonis Center unless local churches are identified to host the daytime warming center as well;
Whereas, The recommendations also include funding Community Support & Treatment Services to support a 10% increase in funding available for emergency hotel and motel vouchers for the most vulnerable homeless residents on extreme weather days;
Whereas, These recommendations in total will cost no more than $178,636.00; and
Whereas, It is requested that the City and the County each commit to providing up to 50% of the total cost for the recommendations;
RESOLVED, City Council hereby amends the FY2015 General Fund budget to increase non-departmental expenditures by $89,318.00 to be funded by the General Fund fund balance and appropriates this funding for the purpose of supporting the 2014-15 winter emergency shelter and warming center response; and
RESOLVED, That this hereby authorizes the City Administrator to sign the delegate contracts upon review and approval of the City Attorney, to be filed with the County Clerk.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Briere, Lumm, Taylor, and Warpehoski