Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager

 
 

Date

June 23, 2008

 

Agenda Item No.       22

Roll Call No.              08-

Communication No.  08-383

Submitted by:  Chris M. Johansen, Housing Services Director

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Agreement with United Way of Central Iowa to co-fund a housing consultant to create a Homelessness Action Plan. 

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend approval of an Agreement with United Way of Central Iowa to co-fund a housing consultant to create a Homelessness Action Plan.  The United Way of Central Iowa will contribute $50,000 for the sole purpose of creating this Action Plan.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount:  $50,000 revenue       

 

Funding Source:  2008-2009 Operating Budget, Page 106, Community Development Department Special Revenue Funds, CDD049900.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

On November 19, 2007 the City Council approved a CDBG allocation of $50,000 for the purpose of hiring a consultant to advise on the development of an integrated supportive housing system.  The City has worked with the United Way and Polk County to develop an RFP to hire a consultant to meet the following objectives:

 

1)       Recommend a long-term, sustaining process of leadership for addressing the homeless population.

2)       Identify alternative organization structures for managing the homelessness needs and recommend a structure that would be most successful.

3)       Identify the funding stakeholders and recommend how each will contribute to the effort.

4)       Identify service providers and recommend ways for them to best cooperate with this planning effort, coordinate their service delivery, and eliminate duplication.

5)       Define and clarify roles and responsibilities of funders, stakeholders, service providers and other participants.

6)       Identify the services available and unavailable for all populations of the homeless (children, families, inventory of the number of units for these populations, e.g.).  This identification will include the available and unavailable services available for chronic homelessness, emergency sheltering and transitional housing.

7)       Following completion of the Action Plan the Contractor will then work to implement this plan.

 

The agreement with United Way of Central Iowa is for the sole purpose of co-funding this work to be performed by the consultant.  The City of Des Moines will make an interim progress report to United Way by December 31, 2008.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S): 

 

Date:  November 19, 2007 

 

Roll Call Number:  07-2231      

 

ActionOn Proposed Fourth (2008) Year Action Plan of the 2005-2009 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plan. (Council Communication No.  07-694) Moved by Hensley to adopt with the understanding that this be discussed at an upcoming workshop to revisit the timeline, criteria and reprogramming dollars.  Motion Carried 6-1. Nays: Cownie.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):   

 

Date:  September 22, 2007 (Neighborhood Revitalization Board – NRB)

 

Roll Call Number:  N/A           

 

Action:   Approval of funding recommendations

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:  NONE 

 

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.