Round Up – Thursday 3/26/20

By
Brenda Konkel
-
round up

Alder, housing, election and homeless updates, golf survey, men’s shelter finally getting a larger place on Monday and more.

ALDER ROUND UP 3/26/20

From: Obeng, Kwasi
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2020 8:39 PM
To: All Alders
Subject: Daily round up for 3/26/20

Good evening Alders,

Please see a round of updates from today.

From Common Council Office:

Food Assistance

St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry
Mon., Tues. & Fri.: 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Thurs.: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sat.: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Website: https://svdpmadison.org/need-help/food-pantry/
Phone: (608) 257-0919

River Food Pantry is providing curbside food pick-up of a pre-packed box of food Tuesdays through Fridays.
Website: https://www.riverfoodpantry.org/covid-19-updates/
Phone: (608) 442-8815

Mount Zion Baptist Church Food Pantry
2019 Fisher St, Madison, WI 53713
Website: http://www.mtzlife.com/index.html
Phone: (608) 255-5270

Good Neighbor Personal Essentials Pantry at Arbor Covenant Church (2509 McDivitt Rd.)
Fridays 10-12
Third Thursdays 5:30-7:30
Website: http://www.gnpep.org/
Phone: (608) 832-6388; (608) 320-0977

New Bridge Madison provides meals and other services to seniors for a donation.
Website: https://newbridgemadison.org/get-connected/
Phone: 608-512-0000

MMSD is providing free meals for children once per day at several sites throughout Madison.
Website: https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/mmsd-covid-19-neighborhood-food-sites
Phone: 608-663-1879

YMCA of Dane County is providing free food to individuals of all ages at seven sites throughout the city.
Website: https://www.ymcadane.org/7-free-food-sites

Second Harvest Foodbank mobile food pantry is providing pre-boxed food items for pick-up at a variety of locations in Madison (schedule here). A texting service has been setup to provide updates regarding when special food distribution opportunities are coming up. To receive a text message the next time we have a special food distribution in your area, find your county below, and text the corresponding keyword to 555888:
· Dane County – Keyword FOODDANE
Website: https://www.secondharvestmadison.org/
Phone: 608-223-9121

FoodShare Wisconsin provides a Quest card to eligible applicants be used to buy food from grocery stores.
Website: http://www.getaquestcard.org/
Phone: 1-877-366-3635

United Way 2-1-1 to find a food program near you (as well as many other services).
Website: https://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/get-help/2-1-1/

From The Mayor and EOC:

The City and County are collaborating to protect residents that are without housing, most of whom are served through the shelter system. As of 3/25 we have placed about 225 people into local hotels, removing them from the shelter system and reducing their exposure to risk of transmission to the coronavirus. They include 37 families (140 people); the rest single men and women.

Efforts to secure safer settings have prioritized families with children, singles who are more vulnerable to the disease, and people who are symptomatic. Staff have identified approximately 60 more people for hotel placement and we are working on finding accommodations for them.

We have also made good progress but need to do still more to ensure that persons relocated to hotel venues have the necessary support services they need – everything from food to laundry to light case management/emotional support.

On another front, we are taking steps to expand shelter capacity at additional locations to provide room for greater physical separation and safer environments for shelter users.

The Warner Park Community Center is prepared to provide much needed space for overnight shelter for homeless men. The facility will reduce the risk of transmission by providing sufficient space to achieve social distancing-something not possible due to limited space within existing shelter facilities. The downtown shelters currently run by Porchlight at Grace Episcopal, St. John’s Lutheran and First United Methodist Churches will be closed and staff assigned to them will support the Warner Park operation, which will have increased capacity. We are working on arrangements to ensure that shelter guests will have transportation services to and from the facility upon its daily opening and closing hours.

Street outreach staff are also working to assist persons unable or unwilling to use the shelter system. Those meeting the at- higher-risk criteria described above are being moved into hotels. We are also placing hand washing stations at 6 locations around town near the Salvation Army, the Beacon, Safe Haven, Peace Park, Central Library and the Top of State Street.

Currently, the biggest challenge is finding staffing resources sufficient to meet the wide range of needs at the hotels and the new shelter sites. We will face continuing challenges to provide adequate transportation, find and furnish shelter venues, and locate and maintain sufficient staffing resources. And as this situation progresses, we face the prospect of more people becoming housing insecure, and the need for assistance rising further. Therefore, we are beginning to think beyond our immediate needs and preparing for even greater challenges that could lie ahead in the medium and long term.

Attached is a copy of the Mayor’s emergency order that she signed on Monday.

From IT:

Alders should expect to hear from IT regarding a test run of the Council meeting on Monday at 3pm.  A legal notice of possible quorum will be  posted to that effect.

From Public Health:

COVID-19 Information Update 3/26/20

Main Messages:

      • We launched a new data dashboard which has up-to-date case information. The data are refreshed at 8:30am and 4:30pm. See our news release for more details.
      • As indicated in today’s news release, due to spread throughout Wisconsin, everyone should assume they will come into contact with COVID-19. Everyone should be staying home to avoid getting sick and to avoid getting others sick. All community members—especially essential service personnel—should be monitoring themselves for symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) and isolating themselves from others as soon as they develop these symptoms. Our fact sheethas more information about how to monitor symptoms, how to properly isolate, and when to return to work.

3/26 COVID-19 Evening News Roundup

LOCAL/STATE

Kwasi K. Obeng, Chief of Staff

Common Council Office

HOMELESS SERVICES CONSORTIUM

Hi HSC Memebers-

Below are updates from today.

      1. Hopefully, everyone saw the announcement about anticipated changes to the men’s shelter
      2. Hotel Update: 21 additional single adults moved into hotels today, another 3 planned for tomorrow. Working on some additional hotel rooms.
      3. Hand Washing Stations are placed in the following locations*:

Safe Haven: 4006 Nakoosa Trail

Salvation Army: 630 E. Washington Ave.

The Beacon: 615 E. Washington Ave.

Central Library: 201W. Mifflin St.

Top of State Street

Peace Park: 452 State Street

Grace Church: 116 W. Washington Ave., also a port potty

*locations may change as community needs change

      1.   From our friends at Public Health: Fact Sheet for Essential Services Staff (see   Essential Service Personnel Fact Sheet)

Thanks, Torrie

ELECTIONS UPDATE

from 1:20 am – March 26th

Good evening/morning,

I don’t have a whole lot, so I’ll make it short and semi-sweet.

Election Officials

We had about 87 cancellations from poll workers today. This brings our total up to 750, about half of the number of election officials we were hoping to have this election. We have had some new assignments, but no more than about 40 today. If you are able to, please help in any way our recruitment of election officials. We pay an hourly living wage of $13.62/hr. Training can be done online and they will get paid for an hour of training. Anyone interested can go to http://www.cityofmadison.com/eo to fill out the online application.

Inspiration

You’re probably wondering where the sweet is in this update. Well, lately, we’ve been so busy trying to get the work done, that we need something to help lift our spirits and keep us going. Last week, we decided to unofficially dedicate some of the conference rooms and other locations we’re currently using in the CCB and MMB to people in history who overcame a lot more than we have. It isn’t much, but it gives us hope and helps us push on. I’ve attached pictures of the signage from those locations.

That is all I have for you. I’ll touch base again tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Jim Verbick, Deputy Clerk

City of Madison City Clerk’s Office

SINGLES SECTION 8 VOUCHERS FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE

Hello all,

You may have seen that the CDA Mainstream Voucher Program for families opened for applications March 26th, 2020. Fear not singles housing providers! The CDA Mainstream Voucher Program for singles has also opened March 26th, 2020.

Important Dates: 

Applications Available: March 26th 2020

When first vouchers will be given: Set for May 2020 (this could change)

When participants are able to lease up: Set for July 2020 (this could change)

Eligibility:

This is a Section 8 Voucher Program administered through Community Development Authority of the City of Madison. MVP is an option for single adults who:

      • are ages 18-61 and
      • have a disability and
      • are currently enrolled in PSH and have been enrolled in PSH for two years or longer,or 
      • are currently enrolled in RRH and have been enrolled in RRH for six months or longer

Please note: Tenant Resource Center is coordinating the singles applications to the Mainstream Voucher Program, and The Road Home in coordinating family applications to MVP. TRC and TRH are acting as Coordinating Service Partners, and CDA is responsible for the final decision on whether a voucher will be issued.

The Process: 

Case managers will contact Tenant Resource Center atmvp@tenantresourcecenter.org to begin the application process. Case managers will send a client’s name and verification of disability (i.e. a SSI/SSDI award letter or the attached disability verification form) to Tenant Resource Center before an application can be completed and submitted to CDA.

Another note: At this time we are working to accept electronic signatures for the application forms, and we will update you all as soon as we receive direction from CDA. We do not want to place applicants or service providers at risk particularly during this pandemic. Please do your best to follow social distancing protocols at this time while helping participants fill out applications.

Finally:

Attached to this email are all of the eligibility requirements for MVP as well as other FAQs about the program. And of course, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions/concerns you may have at mvp@tenantresourcecenter.org.

GOLF COURSE SURVEY

Are you staying safe at home and haven’t taken the Golf Madison Parks online survey?

Take ONLINE SURVEY open through March 31, 2020.

BACKGROUND:
The City of Madison has a unique opportunity to evaluate both the golf and non-golf uses for its four golf courses through the work of the Task Force on Municipal Golf in Madison Parks. Madison Parks is hosting two community engagement meetings and offering an online survey to gather public input for the purposes of informing the Task Force. At the community meetings, staff will provide an overview of the purpose and goals of the Task Force, as well as the work completed to-date, including potential course closure scenarios. While the Task Force has agreed that affordable and accessible municipal golf within the City of Madison is important to the community, it is working to determine the proper amount and location of holes to be offered, while at the same time considering other users and uses of the public space. The meetings and online survey provide a forum for both golfers and non-golfers to voice their opinions.

Information gathered at the community engagement meetings and through the online survey will be considered by the Task Force as the team develops recommendations.

LOOKING FOR HOUSING

Good afternoon,

In response to COVID-19, Housing Navigation Services is operating 100% remotely at this time until further notice. We can be reached via phone 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday for assistance with finding housing. Please feel free to continue calling our main line (608) 826-8093 or emailing HousingNavigation@ccmadison.org at this time. If you are looking to reach one of our employees directly, you may call and/or text them at the numbers below:

    • Rodney – Program Manager: (608) 305-4885
    • Emmett – Housing Specialist: (847) 250-2363
    • Alexander – Community Educator/Website: (608) 535-9315

Thank you,

Rodney Saunders, Jr.

Program Manager, Housing Navigation Services

MEN’S SHELTER UPDATE FROM PORCHLIGHT

Starting Monday March 30 th 2020, the Men’s Drop-In Shelter at Grace Church will be temporally relocated. The site of the new and temporary location will be the Warner Park Community Recreation Center at 1625 Northport Dr. Porchlight will be suspending the “days accountability” date of April 1 st 2020, meaning that any guest that is over 90 days, may still use the Warner Park site for overnight shelter. The length of that extension has not yet been determined. However, any guest that is under a shelter suspension may not use the Warner Park facility until that person’s suspension has ended. All other Porchlight Shelter rules will be enforced at Warner Park.

Intake hours will run from 5pm -8:30pm. The procedure for late call-ins will be the same as explained on the Porchlight Website. However, the number to call Intake will change. As of this time, that phone number has not been created, but we will remain flexible with people who are approved for the late entry list and have used it since March 1 st 2020. The hours of shelter operation will be 5pm to 8am the following morning.

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