Community Development Commission Meeting

APPROVED MINUTES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING Tuesday, August 22, 2017, City Council Chambers 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, IL 61801 Call to Order: Chairperson Cobb called the regular meeting to order at 7:03pm. Roll Call: Kelly Mierkowski called the roll. A quorum was present. Commission Members Present: Fred Cobb, Anne Heinze-Silvis, Jerry Moreland, Abdulhakeem Salaam, Chris Diana, Karin Hodgin-Jones, Michael Braun and James Winston. Commission Members Excused/Absent: None. Others Present: Kelly Mierkowski, Matt Rejc and Don Ho, Community Development Services. Approval of Minutes: Chairperson Cobb asked for approval or corrections to the July 25, 2017 Public Hearing and regular meeting minutes. Commissioner Silvis moved to approve the minutes as written and Commissioner Salaam seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Petitions and Communications: Chairperson Cobb asked if there was any written communication to the Commission, there were none. Audience Participation: Chairperson Cobb stated that audience members could speak if they so wished, no one from the audience stepped forward to speak. Staff Report: Kelly Mierkowski, Grants Management Manager, provided a brief overview of the staff report provided to the Commissioners that evening, which included HUD activities, staff activities, meetings attended, and various projects and programs. Old Business: None. New Business: A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH CRISIS NURSERY (FY 2017-2018) A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM SUBRECEIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED WAY, NEW COVENANT FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, AND FAITH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (FY 2017- 2018) Ms. Mierkowski stated that both resolutions are under the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). The application was submitted through the Continuum of Care (CoC). The two agencies, Crisis Nursery and United Way, New Covenant Fellowship Church and Faith United Methodist Church were approved by the CoC and then by the Department of Human Services (DHS) for funding under the ESG program. As required by law, the City is required to sign a subrecipient agreement with each of these agencies. Ms. Mierkowski explained the agreement with Crisis Nursery is very straightforward, like the City has done in the past. However, the agreement with the United Way is more complicated because the funding will be used for a men’s emergency shelter that was created due to the closings to the Times Center Level 1 and Salvation Army’s Stepping Stone’s shelter. The pilot men’s shelter proved to be helpful and addressed the need for it last year. As a result, United Way, acting as the fiscal agent, applied on behalf of the other two entities, New Covenant Fellowship Church and Faith United Methodist Church. The shelter is located at New Covenant Fellowship Church and managed by personnel from Faith United Methodist Church. GMD consulted with the Legal Department and they advised GMD to include all the entities on the agreement because GMD will need information from all these entities. The United Way will provide financial reporting, Faith United Methodist Church will provide demographic information on who is being served at the shelter, and New Covenant Fellowship Church will house the shelter. GMD submitted the application for ESG funds for both programs in May. The application was approved in June and the agreement was signed in July. The agreement partially covers eligible operations and service-related costs that the agencies will incur through their operations. Mr. Rejc added that the ESG program is designed to increase the number and quality of emergency shelters and transitional housing facilities for homeless individuals and families, to operate these facilities and provide essential social services, and to help prevent homelessness. Unlike the HOME program, which supports permanent affordable housing, ESG addresses more immediate needs. Chairperson Cobb asked if there is any effect on the Community Development funding. Ms. Mierkowski explained that there would not be any significant impact on funding. GMD could use some CDBG funding for administration to operate the program, but the amount would be minimal. Commissioner Braun asked about the data that these agencies will have to submit to the City according to the agreement. Mr. Rejc explained that DHS requires the City to submit data to them through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Because these agencies do not have the HMIS license, they collect data such as income, age, and other demographics from clients and send it to the City. The City will then enter the data into HMIS. Chairperson Cobb entertained a motion to either forward the Resolution to Council with a recommendation for approval, forward the resolutions to Council with a recommendation for approval with changes, or to not forward for approval. Commissioner Braun motioned for the approval to forward the Resolution to Council. Commissioner Salaam seconded the motion; the motion carried unanimously. 2 Study Session: None. Adjournment: Seeing no further business, Chairperson Cobb adjourned the meeting at 7:20p.m. Recorded by Don Ho Grants Compliance Specialist, Grants Management Division Don Ho APPROVED 3