Candidates Answers on Homelessness

March 25, 2019 11:34 am

Well, some of them. Includes questions of school board members

You can find these answers on danecountyhomeless.org which is the website for the Dane County Homeless Consortium with over 400 members and 100 organizations. It takes a bit to find the answers, so I’m posting them here as well.

Spring 2019 Elections – Candidate Q&A

Mayoral Election

City Council Election

School Board Election

MAYOR ANSWERS

Soglin asked for an extension, was given it, then still didn’t answer. (insert potty-mouth exclamation here)

The first two questions relate to requirements for our community’s application to the department of Housing and Urban Development for Continuum of Care Funds, which bring $3,572,436 to our community annually for housing for individuals experiencing homelessness.
1. Even under the Trump administration, HUD requires communities to have a plan to decriminalize homelessness. The criminalization of homelessness includes laws and policies that restrict basic human needs such as sleeping or camping in public, panhandling, loitering, and sitting or lying down in public. What will you do to help us proactively ensure compliance with this requirement?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY
As the Mayor of the City of Madison, I will make every effort to decriminalize homelessness in our community. As you are aware there are a number of City ordinances that may fit into this category including rules that prevent sitting in certain locations, panhandling, loitering and others.

As a first step I will seek input from stakeholders to identify existing provisions in the Madison General Ordinances that punish or criminalize homelessness. I will also ask the City Attorney to conduct a complete review of Madison’s ordinances to identify any and all ordinances that may be construed as criminalizing homelessness.

Once the ordinances in question have been identified, I will work with City staff, homeless individuals and advocates and other key stakeholders to consider each issue. Together we will systematically work to eliminate or change the ordinances that criminalize homelessness.

2. Similarly, we are required to report on how we are collaborating with Public Housing entities to get homeless people into Public Housing units. Our community’s housing placement and retention rate is very low and we need to increase it to score well on our application for funds. The Community Development Authority has been mostly unresponsive to the Homeless Services Consortium’s attempts to collaborate on this issue. How will you help us work collaboratively with the CDA to prioritize people experiencing homelessness for CDA housing and keep them there?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY

In my years on the City of Madison Common Council I found that collaboration is essential to be able to achieve sustainable results. Collaboration and partnerships will be a tenant of my administration. The Community Development Authority is an essential tool for the City of Madison to manage existing affordable housing and to create more affordable housing. In recent years the CDA has worked actively with outside developers to pursue WHEDA tax credits to build new affordable housing projects. This effort has resulted in a number of new affordable housing projects being built in the City of Madison, though those have not been CDA projects. As the Mayor of the City of Madison, I would continue to encourage the CDA to partner with developers to build these types of projects.

In addition, as the Mayor of Madison I would work with CDA to explore and identify new opportunities for the CDA to effectively create housing especially for homeless individuals and families. As the City of Madison Alder I successfully advocated for the creation of the Housing Strategy Committee and a staff position dedicated to housing issues. This Committee has laid out a number of areas that the City of Madison can improve its efforts to create more affordable housing. As the Mayor, I would work with CDA to implement a number of the existing recommendations.

I will certainly work closely with the community and CDA to review policies and practices to ensure that CDA is working as efficiently and effectively to get homeless people into housing.

As the Mayor of the City of Madison, affordable housing will be a major priority for me. I plan to work closely with CDA to ensure that all existing housing is managed properly and will support efforts to increase the number of CDA units and other affordable housing units.

I also believe in the principle of Housing First and will dedicate City resources to support our homeless population with safe and secure housing.

As the Mayor, I will utilize my convening power and oversight authority to ensure that City
agencies (including but not limited to CDA) are working towards the related goals of increasing access to affordable housing and getting homeless individuals into safe and secure housing. It is likely that policies and practices within a number of agencies are contributing to the housing and homelessness crisis. I am committed to a coordinated effort to evaluate and address all policies and practices that have directly or indirectly contributed to this problem. I will base many of these efforts on the Housing First principle that recognizes housing as a foundation for health, safety and welfare of individuals in a community. Housing First has proven to be a successful approach to improve the lives of the chronically homeless.

Housing First is a proven solution to chronic homelessness. Done properly, Housing First requires significant resources to ensure the safety and welfare of residents. As the Mayor of Madison, I will explore the challenges and successes of our current efforts to implement Housing First and identify areas where we can expand and improve upon these efforts. There may be opportunities for CDA to play a leadership role in managing Housing First types of properties. As Mayor, I will work with the HSC and CDA to explore and pursue these opportunities.

We know that many of you support increasing the availability of affordable housing in the City of Madison. The next two questions are about the details of that affordable housing.
3. When you say you support affordable housing, what AMI are you targeting and who do you envision living there?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY
When I talk about affordable housing I’m talking about affordability for all income levels. HUD recommends 30-percent of income as the ceiling for what is deemed affordable. In order to achieve this we must build more housing at all levels of affordability: fully subsidized, partially subsidized, and market rate housing.

As Mayor of Madison, affordable housing will be at the top of my agenda. There are three key strategies to promote affordable housing that I will employ; 1) preserve existing affordable housing and improve its quality, 2) produce more units of housing – both market rate and affordable, 3) support tenants and prevent evictions to address housing instability caused by eviction and non-renewal of leases. In order to implement these strategies, I recognize that we will need a broad range of tools.

As the Mayor of Madison I will support housing cooperatives as an affordable solution for people of all ages and all walks of life,nurture the creation of more tiny house villages, advance land banking for affordable housing, and encourage land trusts as an affordable ownership solution. I will also work to strengthen and support programs that provide low income loans and free assistance for home improvement programs, which can ensure housing is safe and comfortable.

In order to produce more units of housing, as Mayor I will, 1) fully leverage Tax Increment Financing [TIF] and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to encourage the production of more affordable units in all neighborhoods and 2) explore waiving requirements like parking minimums and setbacks, and allowing a density bonus for projects containing significant number of affordable units, and projects located near transportation hubs.

The solutions to the homelessness and housing crisis will require a multi-pronged approach. Ultimately, my goal is that all Madison residents are housed in safe and secure housing that costs no more than 30% of their income. We will also have to provide more access to subsidized and supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and those with mental health and or AODA challenges. Housing in Madison must address everyone’s needs.

4. What does Housing First mean to you and how will you support Madison’s Housing First projects?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY

As I noted earlier, I believe that Housing First should guide our efforts to address homelessness. Housing First is a principle that recognizes housing as a foundation for health, safety and welfare of individuals in a community. Housing First has proven to be a successful approach to improve the lives of the chronically homeless.

Homelessness, or housing insecurity exacerbates other problems including job insecurity, substance abuse issues and mental illness. Stable and secure housing lessen the impact of other problems and facilitate a healthier and safer life.

Those who have struggled to meet stringent requirements to accessing housing, such as becoming sober, have demonstrated success when housing is provided first. Studies have shown that providing housing first, before other behavioral issues are addressed, often results in reduced substance and alcohol abuse and reduces the symptoms of mental illness.

Stabilizing an individual in safe housing allows them to pursue goals toward an improved quality of life. Housing First in Madison is still in its infancy. We need to deepen and expand these programs across the City.

The next two questions are specifically about shelter.
5. Dane County needs over 26,000 units of affordable housing. However, increasing the number of units of affordable housing takes time. Meanwhile, individuals experiencing homelessness are limited to spending 90 nights a year in shelter. What will you do in the next 6 months to ensure people without homes have a legal place to sleep?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY

It is imperative that all people in Madison have a safe place to sleep at night. Our shelter system is not adequate to provide enough beds for the unsheltered people in our community.

As the Mayor of Madison I will work to increase the shelter capacity for the City of Madison. I will work with staff to determine whether there are opportunities for additional facilities to put into use as shelters, or if we can improve the existing resources to serve more people. There are no easy solutions here, but the health and safety of our residents, especially our most vulnerable residents is paramount. As we prepare for the winter of 2020, we must have adequate shelter space for everyone.

That being said, shelters are one critical emergency solution to the issue of homelessness. But working to address long-term housing for homeless individuals we will also be reducing the need for shelter beds.

6. Plans have been designed for a purpose-built shelter for single men, including some pay-to-stay rooms and a place for couples to stay together. What are your plans to make this happen?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY

I understand that this is an important project, but am not familiar enough with the details of it to discuss what I would do. I do understand the advantages of a purpose-built shelter over what we currently have.

7. African-Americans make up 52% of the homeless population in the Continuum of Care, but made up only 27% of the population accepted into permanent supportive housing programs for single adults. What will you do to help us reduce these disparities?

PAUL SOGLIN (No Response)

SATYA RHODES CONWAY

As the Mayor of Madison, I will work to reduce these disparities. The City and Dane County have both established tools to review the racial equity impacts of policies, practices, and procedures. As the Mayor, I will work with staff and stakeholders to ensure that an equity analysis is conducted on the critical aspects of the permanent supportive housing programs. In addition, once we identify at what point in the process disparate outcomes are coming from, then I will work diligently to address those issues whether through budgeting, amending policies or simply issuing guidelines for better implementation.

The following questions are yes or no questions.
1. In other communities Mayors and elected officials have put out calls to landlords to request they open up units for currently homeless individuals and families. Would you put out such a call in the next 3 months?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: Yes
2. Would you support requiring that any developer that gets TIF or Affordable Housing Funds set aside 20% of their units for currently homeless individuals to be filled by the Coordinated Entry System?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: Yes, if this is feasible given potential legal contraints.
3. Would you support providing free bus passes to households experiencing homelessness?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: Yes
4. Would you be willing to appoint someone from your office to serve on the Homeless Services Consortium Board of Directors?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: Yes
5. Do you feel that the city support of eviction prevention funds is currently adequate?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: No
6. Do you think the chronic nuisance ordinance should be enforced with City-funded community partners operating Housing First projects?
Satya Rhodes-Conway: No. It should never get to that.

ALDER CANDIDATE RESPONSES

District 1 – Barbara McKinney (no response)
District 4 – Mike Verveer (no response)
District 5 – Shiva Bidar (no response)
District 6 – Marsha Rummel (no response)
District 7 – Badri Lankella (no response) and Donna Hurd (no response) District 9 – Paul Skidmore (no response)
District 10 – Kristin Johnson (no response) and Zachary Henak (no response) District 11 – Arvina Martin (no response)
District 14 – Sheri Carter (no response)
District 15 – Angela Jenkins (no response) and Grant Foster (no response) District 16 – Michael Tierney (no response)
District 17 – Samba Baldeh (no response) and James Creighton Mitchell Jr. (no response) District 18 – Rebecca Kemble (no response)
District 19 – Keith Furman (no response) and Allison Martinson (no response)

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – I need to learn more, but generally I agree that criminalization of homelessness does absolutely nothing to lift people out of their situations; it only makes it worse for them and for the community. While I am not fully aware of what has been done already, I would think that educating government bodies, community members, and business owners about the need for decriminalization as a way to build support for a plan would be a good way to start.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – Please provide a link to the document where HUD requires a plan to decriminalize homelessness. I would like to read more about the specifics and the details before answering so that I know what the requirements are. (HSC did send additional information)

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – It essential to decriminalize homelessness. I will work with the Social Justice Center, Porchlight, and the Beacon to improve the circumstances of the homeless community in Madison. I will promote sleeping bag drives and job fairs to offer aid. Rather than frantically pushing our neighbors off the streets, I will personally make myself available
to them and connect them with the resources that will best suit their needs. I will continue to advocate for the organizations mentioned above. We need to protect shelters and ensure they have proper funding to serve those who need them most. It is also important to not place restrictive bars over benches and other areas the homeless use to sleep. Homeless individuals are not our enemies, rather they are our friends who are in need of some support.

REDDY – I would review current policies that may bring us into conflict with this requirement and change those policies to make us compliant

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – The goal of policing should always be to protect human safety and dignity, not to further marginalize people or to elevate property rights over human rights. As Alder, I will call for a legal review of our panhandling laws and for changes in police policies so that people are not penalized for resting in public places. We must work with service providers and other nonprofits to provide assistance and options for people to earn income and find more stable and safe housing.

Given the limitations on nights spent in drop-in shelters, we need to expand legal sleeping options for people without stable housing. As Alder, I will work with the Parks Department to ensure that people sleeping in parks are connected with services and made aware of other options. I will work with nonprofits and churches to understand what changes are needed so that the ordinance allowing campers on their property will be better utilized. I will also work to allow camping at private residences and other locations within Madison.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – I’ve been informed that churches and non-profits are permitted by city ordinance to allow camping on their property. If this is so, it’s worth exploring why this is not being used. If there’s a flaw in the ordinance, I would work to fix it. I would also work to create an ordinance allowing camping in Madison’s city parks.. Regarding panhandling, I would ask the city attorney to review recent cases to determine if our panhandling laws are legal. I suspect they may not be and should therefore be repealed. The city should be working with non-profits to provide supportive services to those who turn to panhandling as their only source of income. Proposals to criminalize the human need for resting under the guise of a loitering ordinance are something I would resist. Being homeless is not a crime. We should stop treating it as such.

HOFFERT – I strongly believe in the decriminalization of homelessness. Unfortunately, the City has been going in the wrong direction on this in the last few years. I think the best thing I could do as an Alder to help with this would be to participate in a thorough review of existing ordinances that criminalize homelessness and then introduce resolutions to the Common Council to change those portions of the City Code appropriately.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – I wouldn’t comply. If we are unable to find housing for the homeless then we need to find attorneys who will work pro-bono to defend this. If the police decide to arrest the homeless because they are sleeping outside, then make a special ward in the jail for them where their basic needs can be met. Everyone supports funding for the jail.

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – Homeless Services Consortium is comprised of people whose expertise and life experiences should be considered invaluable by all City and County agencies, including CDA. With a new Director of Planning, Community and Economic Development coming in the near future (and an Interim Director likely beforehand), as well as a large number of new Common Council members and perhaps a new mayor, the time could be ripe for a paradigm shift with respect to these issues. I would work to change that paradigm and find ways in which we can all work together.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – Please provide a link to the ‘required report’, who requires this and what does the format of the requirement look like? City agencies and departments should be responsive to information requests, and open to timely collaboration as may be required by federal government agencies . I would work with the Common Council and the CDA and determine what measures the CDA has taken in regard to HSA, and what is being requested of them. (HSC did send additional information)

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – I will schedule a meeting and outline to the Community Development Authority my commitment to prioritizing people experiencing homelessness for CDA housing. I would like answers as to why the community’s housing placement and retention rates are so low and what steps are needed to increase it. I will either pass this information along to the Community Development Authority, or have a representative present with me at the meeting. By pushing for these conversations, I will ensure that there will not only be answers provided to questions, but feasible solutions to actually fix these issues. I will also take the time to visit the Community Development Authority and speak with current and past residents to hear their perspectives and experiences regarding the organization, and its practices. My term as Alder will be all about active and hands-on engagement.

REDDY– I would personally examine the current relationship between the consortium and the CDA and do what I can to foster dialogue about where collaboration can be made.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – The first step I would take would be to better understand the barriers from the Community Development Authority’s perspective. My understanding from talking with social workers in the area is that there is a need for more maintenance and screening staff, to fill public housing vacancies in a more timely fashion. I will introduce a resolution asking CDA to report on their activities to place and retain homeless people in public housing, what they need to expand these efforts and how they will work with nonprofit partners to do so. I will also work with other Alders, including those on the CDA committee, to raise awareness of these needs and to create more affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – If elected, I would introduce a resolution asking the CDA to do a report on how they could collaborate with the HSC on this issue. District 13 has a lot of CDA housing in the Triangle and at Romnes, so it’s likely I would be appointed to this committee.

HOFFERT – I am a strong believer in transparency and responsiveness in government. Therefore, if a current barrier to this is getting the CDA to simply respond and engage on this issue, I would absolutely pledge to do what I could to get them to be more responsive. I would hope that once this line of communication is more firmly established, they would be interested in helping with the goals you state here, as it would very much align with their mission as well.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – If the CDA is unresponsive then someone needs to “clean house”. Every staff member should be fired and replaced with people who care. You are not going to be able to work collaboratively with them, so we need to find a different way to help the homeless.

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – Affordable housing should support everyone from 0% to 80% AMI. (Of course, even those at 100% AMI can struggle to find affordable homes as renters or owners, but I will not discuss that here as solutions are mostly related to gentrification, etc.) The lowest tier, say 0% to 30%, should be for everyone who is homeless, on the edge of homelessness, or in and out of homelessness, although anyone whose income falls in this range should be eligible. I would give priority to those individuals and families on the HSC’s housing priority list and would advocate for funding for comprehensive social services to be available for these tenants. As the percentage AMI amounts grow larger, it is clear that some individuals and families who have employment income, yet are housing stressed, should be included. Due to racial inequities, transportation inequities, and job inequities, many of these folks require and should have housing at reduced rates. At the moderate to higher AMI levels, I envision everyone from service workers, public school teachers, graduate students, and retired folks living in these units. Also, whenever possible, I would advocate for mixed-income developments that are integrated into their neighborhoods rather than housing solely for a particular AMI.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – The restrictions on building housing are partially dictated by local planning departments, restrictions on expansion, available land, and limits on allowing the market to build a variety of housing designs and sizes. There are both Federal and State and local building codes that mandate certain design criteria. These codes, plus the connections necessary to; existing streets, sewer lines, water supply, and the land costs all add up to a present day cost per sq.ft. for a building site.

Unfortunately, at a point below a certain threshold of income, some people are not going to be able to afford to live on their own and will need to find a friend or two to share the costs. I would work with local and county authorities to attempt to open up more land for development, and remove the artificial government imposed restrictions on expansion, and allow the building market to construct smaller homes, lower cost, and open up more opportunities for these lower income people to own their residence.

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – I am targeting the Area Median Income of Madison residents. According to census.gov, the median income of Madison residents was $59,387 from 2013-2017, with the average income being $31,659. However, it is hard to quantify a set income value for students, as many are working part time due to class or are relying on financial aid / family assistance to get them through college.
Here is an example of an affordable housing project that I would propose and support: Co-op housing is an approach that can increase low income housing to meet resident needs. I would explore limited or zero-equity affordable housing co-ops, market rate co-ops, or rental / leasehold co-ops. In my model housing project, I would implement a rental / leasehold co-op. By having residents collectively share costs, there will be less avenues for bankruptcy, foreclosure, and eviction. Residents will collectively commune with one another to build a sense of community – helping one another be better contributing members of society as a result. A nonprofit would own the building and rent to those who are unable to pay for a share in the collective cost. There will be lower maintenance, administrative, and operational costs. With less crime, areas around such developments will improve. I propose implementing this project in the area around the controversial 222 N. Charter St. development. A 6 story, 40 unit project would go a long way. Affordable housing rents are about 30% one’s gross monthly housing income. This is a hard number to quantify for students, many of which do not have full time jobs. In this case, I would suggest exploring low-income housing tax credits for developers to leave open a select amount of affordable units. Further, public housing that is government owned is also an option. Ideally, rents would be around $350 per month with attached units (1 bedroom) being 650 square feet. There would be communal rooms and shared spaces for childcare, recreation, and communal activities. Additional funding could be subsidized from an affordable housing fund.

I envision projects that will benefit students in my district, but will also benefit the Madison market as a whole. I am particularly interested in the Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens affordable housing model, as it looks to be an innovative solution to rising housing costs. I do not think that expensive high density development is necessarily the answer, as this is pricing us out of our own neighborhood. University Housing has its prices driven by city market values, which is why the average dormitory price is over $900 per month. Although I cannot directly control dormitory prices as Alder, I can work to control the market value of development. We should incentivize developers to make housing affordable through exploring whether we can reopen the TIF districts (tax increment financing) and promoting cooperative housing, like I detailed above.
This is why Adrian Lampron, my campaign Field Director, shared my statement at the Planning Commission back in December as to why the 222 N. Charter Street high density development proposal should be rejected. And thankfully it was denied. We need to make sure that housing not only falls within the purview of zoning guidelines, but that new development (even if its high density) has affordable set-aside requirements to ensure a certain percentage of units are affordable. Charging students $2,000 per month is simply not sustainable.

I will fight for affordable housing by subsidizing housing developments with TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money to raise post-project asset values, as well as bring your rents down through capital redevelopment projects. It is also important to go after HUD (Housing & Urban Development) money, apply for opportunity zone funding, and go after federal and state grants. Affordable housing, density controls, regulations of high impact development in residential areas, and traffic monitoring will be promoted.

REDDY – In the context of homeless and low-income services, below 30% of AMI is the definition that I see most commonly used. However, district 8 has a large student population and thus many people who do not earn a traditional income. As such, when I talk about housing in my district, I cover both this traditional definition of affordable housing as well as rental housing that is affordable to students.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – Madison needs more affordable housing units at all levels, but especially for extremely-low income people at 30 percent of area median income. Even an efficiency at fair market rent for Dane County (estimated at $769 by the National Low Income Housing Coalition) is unaffordable for someone making 30 percent AMI; their affordable rent limit is $560 per month. Housing is considered affordable when it costs no more than one-third of household income. Equitable development advocates suggest that housing plus transportation costs should total no more than half of household income.

We need to add 1, 2 and 3 bedroom affordable housing units, to welcome different family sizes and address the growing number of children with insecure housing in our school system. We also need to prioritize affordable housing for people on fixed incomes, including older adults and people with disabilities.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – We need affordable housing at all levels in Madison as we deal with our housing crisis. Workforce housing is important, but we really need to be focusing on affordable housing for those who are at the 30% AMI. These are the city residents who at greatest need and are often spending half or more of their income on housing. Housing affordability is also an issue for senior citizens and those on fixed incomes. I hear of this concern from many seniors in my district.

HOFFERT – I believe affordable housing needs to target a range of AMIs. We need units for 30% AMI, 60% AMI, and “workforce housing” as well. I would like to see us building units for each of these levels in proportion to the current documented need, with a slight edge going to the 30% AMI to prioritize providing assistance to those who are struggling the most.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – In a land filled with unicorns and rainbows, I would like the AMI to be 50%. Just because people make a certain amount doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling. I would envision their living conditions to be similar to mine; clean, enough room to breathe, a yard, safe neighborhood, access to transit, access to shopping, access to childcare, and access to parking.

4. What does Housing First mean to you and how will you support Madison’s Housing First projects?

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – To me “Housing First” means providing a place to live first and foremost regardless of circumstances such as criminal record, addiction, and use of alcohol or drugs. I will support and advocate for Housing First projects by working for sufficient funding for their development and operation. I would also advocate for efforts to de-stigmatize homeless and housing stressed people, as well as decrease criminalization of both.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – HUD’s applicability of Housing First models to homeless persons with serious mental Illness have shown that Housing First permanent supportive housing models result in long-term housing stability, improved physical and behavioral health outcomes, and reduced use of crisis services such as emergency departments, hospitals, and reduction of jail time.

I would support this concept through the Dane County Health and Human Needs Commission, Dane County Planning and Development, and work with them to develop more affordable and housing needs toward the Housing First concept in communities outside of Madison and throughout Dane County.
Madison has does an exceptional unilateral job in working toward meeting the needs of the entire county, however the needs are too large for one municipality, and its taxpayers, to provide the transitional housing needs for the entire county, or for that matter the entire region.

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – Housing First projects provide individuals the promise of shelter. When we are trying to assist those who are housing insecure (the homeless, “couch surfers,” renters whose payments are unstable, those with landlord troubles, etc.), we need to have programs in place to do so. This is why I am a big supporter of places like the Beacon and Porchlight. By offering individuals shelter, they can then address other needs in their lives. The promise of a home is quite comforting for many. It often builds a sense of community to allow groups of people to regain their lives together. Many homeless individuals are burdened by addiction and mental health concerns. By having a home “base,” these other issues can be addressed. Knowing that they will be returning to a bed under a roof will not only boost homeless individuals’ confidence levels, but it will also allow them to address other circumstances in their lives. Such support services can even be provided on-site, which is far cheaper than expensive institutional and emergency care. I will continue to support funding for homeless shelters and promote organizational programs, like the Tenant Resource Center, to offer assistance. We need to decriminalize the homeless and focus on rehabilitation over punishment.

REDDY – Housing First means making our first priority in tackling homelessness to get every homeless person into a home.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – Housing First is an effective way to reduce homelessness, since it provides housing without barriers or preconditions. It’s a proven approach that includes wrap-around services without requiring their use. At its core, Housing First recognizes that once people are able to access safe housing, they are much more able to stabilize their lives in other ways. This approach has been shown to improve health and social outcomes and to reduce the need for crisis services. Housing First is part of the broader response to homelessness, along with community outreach, emergency shelters, rapid re-housing with case management in privately-owned housing, and supportive housing with services.

We need to ensure the success of our current Housing First developments and to add more. Hundreds more people experiencing homelessness in Madison are in need of Housing First permanent supportive housing. As Alder, I will work to ensure that wrap-around services are adequately funded and planned for, in conjunction with local service providers. We need to provide for a more gradual and supported transition, when buildings are first opened. The city must also work with the surrounding neighborhoods, to answer questions, address concerns and encourage community-building.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – I understand the concept of permanent supportive housing to address housing need without preconditions. I support the concept wholeheartedly, but am concerned what we’ve done so far in Madison has fallen short of the “supportive” component. I’ve taken a tour of Tree Lane and found it to be very institutional in its feel. The corridors are narrow, the walls were unfinished concrete slabs, the contours were harsh, and there was very little natural lighting. It didn’t feel like a therapeutic environment, it felt more like I was in lock-up. I would like us to pay more attention to the design elements, making sure there’s adequate greenspace, places for gardening, places for kids to play. And I wonder if there shouldn’t be a more of mix, with some residents who have been chronically homeless housed with others who are the 30% and 60% AMI level. I’m not convinced the way we’re doing it currently is the best way to go do Housing First.

HOFFERT – Housing First means to me that housing is a human right and there should be no conditions on someone getting stabilized with housing. I am currently supporting Housing First in Madison by continuing to support the construction of the third Heartland Housing location in my District, while my opponent has announced that he is opposing building that location at this time. I have taken this position because I believe that increased police calls to a Housing First development are to be expected, and are not a sign that the project is failing in any way. So I suppose I am also supporting Housing First by trying to set realistic expectations for what success looks like and pushing my neighbors to be supportive of this important social justice work.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – Housing first means getting families and those at risk for homelessness into housing quickly. However, getting people into housing shouldn’t be our main goal. It should be our main priority but not main goal. Our main goal should be to provide sustainable living conditions and a sustainable life.

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – I am not fully up to speed on why the 90-day limit was chosen, or why it is enforced when it is not extremely cold. My initial thought is that shelter should not be limited if the capacity is available. However, I would be open to further discussions on this topic and I would seek ways to improve the situation for those suffering.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – Where do you get your data that 26,000 units are needed, the error prone 2015 Housing Needs Assessment?

If the source is from the report by Kurt Paulsen Assoc. Prof. UW-Madison, provided to Dane County Health and Human Needs Committee, Dane County Department of Human Services and Dane County Planning and Development Department in 2015 titled “Housing Needs Assessment”. Then, you should be aware that even the author states that “These data are very cumbersome to acquire and work with because of HUD’s antiquated computer system and the format in which the data are available.”
The author further states, that the calculations are essentially estimates, and that it is understood that the data that is prone to a percentage of error without the author giving any indication of the percent error accounted for in the data.

The author uses data from the ACS survey which only surveys 16.7% of the households in any given survey period and in a given geographical area. This ACS data has low income level errors, and by the ACS surveys’ own admission these are up to 25% in error. For the report year of 2015, the ACS only sent out 106,016 surveys, and only interviewed 75,272 of those surveyed for the entire state of Wisconsin.

The author in an early draft version had to revise and make Major changes from August 2014 draft: His earlier draft over-estimated the number of cost-burdened renter households by over 5,000 households as he had not removed college students from the Madison numbers. The report is prone to over-estimates of the number of households that are ‘cost burdened’.

Further, the ACS, and the 2015 “Housing Needs Assessment” does not adequtely verify or take into consideration the 28,000 households in Dane County that are receiving child support; as noneof this income is reported on federal or state tax documents by the recipeint. The ACS survey relies solely on the participant of the survey to accurately and honestly report all sources of income. There is no reference check performed, nothing to verify that any of the income reported is accurate, or that the amount for child support, the question asking for it being well buried in the survey, is even claimed on the ACS survey. Try to find it after going through nearly 50 questions in the survey.

The Census Bureau does not cross reference check the income with the IRS, or income from child support with the local county agencies. These errors all combine to exaggerate the ‘cost burdened households’ in the county. Given above examples and the known errors in the data, the 2015 Housing Needs Assessment erroneously inflates the housing needs ‘gap’. For research to be granted a degree of validity, and acceptance, it is usually reviewed. The 2015 Housing Needs Assessment report does not have peer review.

Madison already has ~90% of the affordable housing with only 48% of the county population. Dane County has no plans to build any housing units in the foreseeable future. Dane County needs to play catch up for the next few years and construct geographically dispersed housing for homeless people.

These questions continually mention Madison, as to further indicate the preference for the Madison taxpayer to singularly and unilaterally be responsible for allthe housing and support needs of the entire county, and forcing low income people to have to move from the outlying communities, from family, from friends and possibly from work, and into Madison.

This issue is not being supported well by the county goverrnment and should be more fully funded by the county.

It is very rare for needs assessments of communities to be peer reviewed. Each community is typically responsible for gathering and assessing their own data.

Regarding the Prof. Paulsen 2015 Housing Needs Assessment, after reviewing its source materials, and reviewing your PIT surveys I am even more convinced that a 3rd party needs to review the source material for the Housing Needs Assessment and the HNA itself.

For example, from July 2018 through July 2014 for the Point In Time surveys, never in the last 5 years have your PIT surveys exceeded 800 homeless individuals.

Yet, the 2015 Housing Needs Assessment would lead one to believe that there should be several thousand in your counts. Page 4 of the HNA, “Over 22,000 households with very low income (50 percent median income or less) pay more than 30 percent of their income in rent. Over 12,000 very low income households pay more than 50 percent of their income in rent. Of these 12,000 “severely cost burdened”households [0-30%AMI], over 2200 are senior households.”

If one simply assumes that a modest 20% of the 12,000 severely cost burdened households, or 2,400 individuals, are making 0% to 10% of AMI, they would not be able to affordANYplace to live. These ‘households’ should therefore be found in the PIT surveys.

That begs the question : Where are the other >1,600 ‘homeless households’ not located in PIT surveys?

These numbers do not appear to be accurate, and over-estimate the gap in housing in Dane County.

Finally, in reviewing the format of the ACS and the other data sources that the assessment is using, there is too much chance for simple human nature of the surveyed population to want to under-report their income. Naturally, they would assume to gain more in their favor by appearing to be in more need and thereby under-report to the Census Bureau ACS.

So now back to your question: What are you going to do in the next 6 months? I have already pointed out the inaccuracy of the data in the HNA, and the discrepancy between it and the PIT survey…where are the other >1,600 homeless?

The report submitted to Dane County, needs to be paid for by the county, not any one city. This issue is not being addressed well at all by the county, and the only new construction for affordable housing is being done by the City of Madison. At 0% AMI household that is no income to 10% AMI income of $5,666/year or $472/month. Even the 10% AMI household at 100% paid out to rent would leave no money for food, heat, electricity, etc.

I am opposed to spending $250,000,000 to $300,000,000 (yes, that’s in millions) on the Bus Rapid Transit for Madison. A handful of other cities in the nation have attempted and had very limited success if not an out-right failure with.

I am opposed to spending $12,000,000 on an Aluminum Chlorohydrate water treatment system to remove phosphorous from the water in Starkweather Creek. That same phosphorous that a farmer buys for 25 cents a pound, and that will cost the Madison taxpayer $400 per pound to remove.

I would say that the money, even a portion of it, that people are eager to spend on either of these two programs would be better spent helping the homeless. (See chart at end of document)

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – will collaborate with local churches and ministries to ensure that their doors are open at night, especially when the weather is cold and unrelenting. I will also promote permanent supportive housing models which combine affordable housing assistance with essential support services for those suffering from mental illness. Finally, if we incorporate support services like job fairs, sleeping bad drives, and educational trainings, homeless individuals can re-acclimate themselves back into everyday life to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives.

REDDY – I would make it a priority to work with the county and municipalities to coordinate strategies to address the shortage of shelter space in our area.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – In weather extremes, our current shelter system responds by accommodating more people. I will work with shelter providers to ask about their capacity to provide additional beds in non-emergency weather, and the level of funding needed to support that expansion. I will work with other Alders to seek support for budget amendments to provide a level of shelter services so that no one will be turned away.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – I would be open to your suggestions.

HOFFERT – I was not aware of the 90 day limit. In the next 6 months I would like to learn more about the source of that limit and what could be done to extend it, and then work to do so. If the limit is due to limited quantities of shelter and a way to equitably distribute shelter nights among those who need it, then I would work to increase shelter capacity in Madison. I also think that we can be doing better about providing or at least offering services to those who are in shelter, to help those who can get out of need for shelter as fast as possible.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – I find it hard to believe that we don’t have enough homes and apartments available. I always see “apartments for rent” signs, or listings for homes. Why doesn’t the city invest in those instead of building unsustainable housing?

6. Plans have been designed for a purpose-built shelter for single men, including some pay-to-stay rooms and a place for couples to stay together. What are your plans to make this happen?

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – This sounds like a solid idea, but I am not familiar with the discussion around location or funding sources. I see no problem with the concept described.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – I believe Dane County needs to complete a plan to provide more affordable housing, and to provide more geographically dispersed shelters in the villages and towns in the county. I would support Dane County building such facilities. Madison is currently one of the only communities where single men can find a place to stay, forcing them to relocate away from work, family and friends. Many times this creates exacerbated hardships for these people, and by not having dispersed locations for single people to stay throughout the county their support system can struggle to find ways to assist these sheltered people.

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – I would explore whether cooperative housing could work here for this purpose-built shelter. If a nonprofit, as mentioned earlier, could take control of the property and help out renters who might miss the occasional payment, large dividends could be reached.
Paying collective rents will also bolster community, as well as efficiency.

REDDY – I would do my part to advocate for these proposals and help make our community aware of their necessity, both in and out of council.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – I will seek an update from the Mayor and shelter providers on these plans. I would explore how pay-to-stay spaces could complement our current emergency shelter spaces. Couples and families must be able to find shelter together.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – As a first-time candidate for alder, I don’t have an answer other than to say I am open to your suggestions.

HOFFERT – If I am elected Alder, I would like to use my connections to Epic (where I currently work full-time) to encourage a major donation toward combatting homelessness in Madison. After talking with Jim O’Keefe a few months ago, I have come to think that getting Epic to donate for the purpose of building this and/or other shelters would be the right, tangible project to focus these efforts on.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – I’m more worried about building shelters for children and women. There aren’t a lot of funds or space so we need to focus on the people who will change our future, and those people are our children.

The next question is related to significant racial disparities in who is experiencing homelessness and which individuals are successful in exiting homelessness to housing that exist in our community.
7. African-Americans make up 52% of the homeless population in the Continuum of Care, but made up only 27% of the population accepted into permanent supportive housing programs for single adults. What will you do to help us reduce these disparities?

District 2 – Patrick Heck and Jim White (no response)

HECK – I am not familiar with the criteria used when determining who is placed into permanent supportive housing programs. I would advocate for all such criteria to be not only race-neutral, but also to employ a tool analogous to the City’s racial equity lens when making these decisions.

District 3 – Mike Cerro and Lindsay Lemmer (no response)

CERRO – I figured we might have different data sets for Point in Time, perhaps you had a January 2019 that was not yet available.

Regarding the question: Are these “permanent supportive housing programs for single adults” run by a government agency, or are they all owned and run by private companies?

Dane County Housing Authority does not appear to operate, from what I can see on their website, any building site listed for ‘single adults” even though they are the highest percent of type needing shelter at 66% (PIT survey Jan. 2018). Single adults are the highest percentage needing housing from your surveys going back to 2010, and Dane County appears to only support housing units for the elderly and families outside of Madison. Since 1996 Dane County Housing Authority has contracted the management and maintenance of their units to a management company. Currently Wisconsin Management is managing our units. The units are located in the following communities:

· · · · ·
Regarding income, Madison has changed in the past 20 years, and used to have a much larger manufacturing base, providing good paying jobs for those with only a high school degree. Manufacturing is greatly reduced in Madison, and the economy has moved rapidly into one dominated by more highly educated jobs.

I support a living wage and support raising the floor of the minimum wages to raise up all levels above that and may help to provide additional income for those at the lower end of the pay scale. However, the risk for Madison acting uni- laterally is that business and opportunity will leave Madison, the minimum wage needs to be increased statewide.

Dane County’s villages and towns pitching-in and building affordable housing, is that it forces people who are Dane County residents to move away from family and friends, and their support network, and into Madison; this is an unintended consequence and is forced relocation.

District 8 – Avra Reddy and Matthew Mittnick

MITTNICK – Poverty, criminal justice, and racial disparities are issues that are definitely at the forefront of my agenda. I support income transfers and other governmental transfer programs to ensure that individuals have access to basic needs. I particularly support programs to support low income and underserved youth.

If we want to eradicate cycles of poverty, it starts with the youth. In my hometown of Thousand Oaks, I formed a nonprofit chapter to help underserved children in my community. Over 3 years, we provided these kids with over 30 experiences, whether it be attending a Major League Baseball game or spending a day playing sports at the park. I was struck by how these kids, despite being from different backgrounds than my peers and I, were not much different than us – they were intelligent, enthusiastic, and a joy to be around. The children were in their current situations because of factors that were far beyond their control. These kids’ parents worked very hard each and every day to provide for them – many working multiple jobs. Many of these families had immigrated from other countries and had not received college educations. I strongly believe that if we make access to education easier and offer more financial support towards schools, the next generation can receive the education necessary to pursue professional careers with higher earning potential. I also support extracurricular programs at schools, such as band, sports, film, and science programs to allow youth to dive into their interests. This not only teaches children team building skills, but it also steers them away from drugs, alcohol, and other illicit activity. Moreover, I also want to make citizens more comfortable with the police. I believe that the police need to be as accountable to the citizens they serve as the citizens are to them. I support civilian oversight and recommendations toward policing. I have read the OIR report and support recommendations 13 and 14, among several others. Additionally, I support body cameras for police officers, which brings a level of transparency that is needed. I am a big proponent of officer wellness concerns and providing proper funding to ensure that we live in a safe community.

The police do not just need to be heard from when an issue arises. They should be seen as friends of the community and interact with residents to promote positive programs as well. A program I would propose is a monthly “Coffee with the Chief.” This is an event that would be open to the public where the Madison Police Chief (or another member of the Madison Police Department for that matter) would interact and engage with residents at a local coffee shop or public place. I grew up in a very progressive town in California – Thousand Oaks. Throughout my childhood, I was always struck by how communicative and personal the police were with my neighbors. This is due to events such as the aforementioned one above. Local law enforcement also supported an annual event titled “Stand Down,” which provided
Mazomanie – 10 elderly, 10 family
Stoughton – 14 elderly, 16 family
Sun Prairie – 28 scattered sites (Prairie Homes)
Monona – 8 scattered sites
Cross Plains – 16 elderly (Rural Development)

Victims of domestic violence need critical and timely assistance, and domestic violence occurs all throughout the county, the county should be developing more housing and support systems dispersed throughout the geographical area of Dane County. support to homeless veterans. They were provided with clothes, medical / dental care, financial guidance, and mental health services for a weekend. Attendees were bused in from across the county for free. I would support a similar event in Madison – expanding such care to all who are homeless. I fully support sanctuary cities. It is important for all residents to feel safe and comfortable with using public and emergency services without any fear of deportation. I believe in revising police training to prevent police brutality and the use of lethal force. Finally, jails / prisons should be rehabilitative, aiming to send inmates out better people than they were when they entered. I support funding for social programs in jails to help inmates work out personal concerns.

REDDY – I would review the policies that are used to admit people into permanent supportive housing and from there consult with experts about how to eliminate disparities due to structural biases.

District 12 – Diane Farsetta and Sayed Abbas (no response)

FARSETTA – We need to look at all aspects of how people are screened for and accepted into permanent supportive housing programs, and provide training to those making these decisions, to combat implicit racial biases. Given the wide disparities, additional measures like spot checks or secondary reviews should be considered to ensure a fair selection process. We must also address the over-representation of African Americans in the local homeless population, by combating discrimination in housing and employment and ensuring access to care and services.

District 13 – Tag Evers and David Hoffert

EVERS – The more telling disparity is that 52% of homeless are African-American. That speaks to systemic racism, which is a blight on our city. There’s much talk during this campaign about racial equity, and rightfully so. The main issue is the segregation of poverty, which disproportionately impacts black and brown people. I’m not sure why only 27% of the population were accepted into permanent supportive housing. I would have to have study this more, speak to those know the answers, and get recommendations as to what changes need to be made.

HOFFERT – There are a few possible reasons why this could be happening. If equally qualified African-American homeless people are being accepted into permanently supportive housing at a lower rate than their equally qualified white counterparts, and therefore this is an instance of overt racism, then this needs to be addressed via enforcement by the city. If the issue is that on average African-American homeless people are less likely to meet the requirements of permanently supportive housing than their white counterparts, then this simply underscores the need for more Housing First developments in Madison. So I would push for enforcement of non-discrimination when necessary, and otherwise will continue to push for Housing First by supporting the construction of it even in the face of the high-profile challenges Heartland has experienced.

District 20 – Erica Janisch and Christian Albouras (no response)

JANISCH – Job training. While I’m not sure of the statistics, I can guess that many of these black people are men AND have been to jail. If we provide job training and opportunities before release, then maybe there wouldn’t be as much of an issue or disparity

2. Would you support requiring that any developer that gets TIF or Affordable Housing Funds set aside 20% of their units for currently homeless individuals to be filled by the Coordinated Entry System?
Patrick Heck – Perhaps, but would need to see an analysis of why 20% was chosen as the threshold, what the impact would have been on already constructed developments that received such funds, and how this commitment would impact the housing-stressed community.
Mike Cerro – No answer
Matthew Mittnick – Yes
Avra Reddy – Dependent on the situation/development
Diane Farsetta – Yes
Tag Evers – Not for TIF, but yes for the Affordable Housing Fund
David Hoffert – No (I believe this specific set of details is too restrictive, but I do support the more general notion of tying TIF and Affordable Housing fund dollars to some amount of homeless units)
Erica Janisch – No

3. Would you support providing free bus passes to households experiencing homelessness?
Patrick Heck – Generally, yes, but would need to see an analysis of the expected expenditures, how the program would be tracked, and some protocols for pass type and pass distribution.
Mike Cerro – No answer
Matthew Mittnick – Yes
Avra Reddy – Yes Diane Farsetta – Yes Tag Evers – Yes David Hoffert – Yes Erica Janisch – Yes

4. Would you be willing to appoint someone from your office to serve on the Homeless Services Consortium Board of Directors?
Patrick Heck – My office staff will be just me, so it is difficult to say if this is possible until I am elected and other committee appointments made.
Mike Cerro – To my knowledge the Common Council members do not have individuals they can simply appoint and make serve on your board. The Common Council member is a position that shares city resources.
Matthew Mittnick – Yes
Avra Reddy – No office
Diane Farsetta – I’m unclear which office this refers to, but agree that Common Council coordination with the Homeless Services Consortium is important.
Tag Evers – As an alder, I would have no power to appoint anyone.
David Hoffert – N/A (as an individual Alder, I would not have staff)
Erica Janisch – Yes

5. Do you feel that the city support of eviction prevention funds is currently adequate?
Patrick Heck – I need to learn more about this program, but certainly eviction prevention should be a top consideration for battling homelessness, ensuring that those with convictions are not denied housing, and that racial equity in housing is addressed.
Mike Cerro – Please expand this question and provide more details.
Matthew Mittnick – No Avra Reddy – No
Diane Farsetta – No Tag Evers – No
David Hoffert – No Erica Janisch – No

6. Do you think the chronic nuisance ordinance should be enforced with City-funded community partners operating Housing First projects?
Patrick Heck – Generally, no, but would need to learn about other tools that are or can be used for addressing some of the concerns that have come forth in our Housing First projects. Providing wrap-around social services and trauma- informed care should be the primary tools used for providing housing and dignity for Housing First tenants.
Mike Cerro – Please expand this question and provide more details and a link to the document(s) you reference. Matthew Mittnick – Yes
Avra Reddy – No
Diane Farsetta – No
Tag Evers – No. However, I am not impressed by Heartland Housing, and I think we’d be wise to work with other organizaitons capable of providing these services.
David Hoffert – No
Erica Janisch – Yes

SCHOOL BOARD

No response from:
Kaleem Caire, candidate for seat 3
Ali Janae Muldrow, candidate for seat 4
David Blaska, candidate for seat 4

1. How do you see the school board working with the City of Madison on the issues of homelessness?
Cristiana Carusi, candidate for seat 3
Prevention should be the top priority. The city and MMSD can work together to identify families at risk of eviction and connect them with support, including legal representation, to stabilize their housing.

Because homelessness is a reality for too many of our students, we also need to work with the city to ensure these students are being served. Reliable transportation is a huge issue. While homeless students have the legal right to stay at one school no matter where they may be sheltered, the district depends on both buses and taxi cabs to transport homeless children to their home schools. The taxis are unreliable and, as a result, homeless students often arrive at school late. Parents may be unwilling to put their very young children in a cab, particularly if they are working and unable to ride with them. The city and MMSD should work together to identify and fund a more reliable transportation solution for homeless students.

TJ Mertz, candidate for Seat 5
The Board’s role in this is primarily to direct and support the work of our staff. As mentioned above, there are places like the City Education Committee where the Board may be able work with other elected officials to create conditions for cooperation and collaboration. With that in mind here are some thoughts:

Assure our Transition Education Program staff are fully included in the planning and
implementation of Housing First developments (this has been a struggle with Tree Lane).
Give the district a more formal role in development approval processes so the impacts and preparedness of schools are considered and addressed.
Use the district’s role in Tax Incremental Financing approvals to encourage affordable housing, living wage job opportunities, family and neighborhood stabilization, all of which would help prevent homelessness or aid transitioning from homelessness.
Better target and design internships and mentoring programs so that unaccompanied youth and other homeless students are able to participate.

Ananda Mirilli, candidate for Seat 5
The reason I’ve launched a collaborative campaign with candidate Ali Muldrow is to model to our community, the work of elected officials are to be done collaborative. Madison faces great disparities and we can afford individualism and ineffective leadership.

Here are some areas of focus:

Strengthen the collaboration with the city and services provides in particular around prevention strategies.
Support increase awareness of programs both at the district and community level.
Bring more service providers, resources and information inside the school buildings to increase access by our families and youth.

2. What partnerships with the City of Madison around homelessness could we explore to improve the lives of children in the Madison School District?

Christiana Carusi, candidate for seat 3
The City Education Committee is a partnership between the City of Madison, Dane County and MMSD. This committee should explore ways to better serve our most vulnerable students, including those experiencing homelessness. This committee was nearly disbanded. I support continuing this committee and strengthening it by including members of the communities we aim to serve. I would encourage partnerships around stable and affordable housing, transportation, access to rich before and after- school experiences, and food access and quality, including both school meals and school-based food pantries.

TJ Mertz, candidate for seat 5
In addition to the partnerships included or implied in the above, creating stability for families and youth is the basic concept – housing stability, food security, full access to health services (including mental health services) – are all essential. The district has little direct role in much of this, but we can help identify needs, and coordinate. Beyond the basics, enrichment programs – like some of those in the Madison Out of School Time Project – need to be made more aware of the needs of homeless participants and more accessible and welcoming.

I would like to list some things in a third area, which is what should a Board member do in relation to the work of our Transition Education Program (TEP) team, as well as other programs involving homeless students (I think this is actually the most important work of a Board member with homeless stucents, and have tried to all of these):

Support the TEP team in annual budgets.
Regularly communicate with TEP team members about their work.
Fully incorporate the needs of unaccompanied youth in the district’s “Opportunity Youth” work.
Focus on the needs of highly mobile students, including giving extended support after
transitioning to new schools.
Explore using some funding currently devoted to TEP student transportation (about $1 million annually) to support housing stabilization (this is being done elsewhere).

Ananda Mirilli, candidate for Seat 5
My campaign platform is to increase mental health support and invest in proactive strategies to address mental health issues. I would like to see more partnerships that supports the parents and guardians of our students and enhance wraparound services.