So, the Health and Human Needs Committee of Dane County will be looking at several amendments tonight on housing and homelessness. I have no idea how people would know if you don’t know a supervisor who gave them to you, but here they are!
Here’s the whole packet with more details. Below are the housing and homelessness resolutions that are in front of the Health and Human Needs Committee tonight. (5:30, Room 351).
CAROUSEL BAYRD – HHN-8? & 9???
I move to increase expenditures and borrowing proceeds by $1.7 million to allow the county to purchase and/or renovate a new or existing building to serve as a single room occupancy (SRO) housing facility and add the following language to Res. 134, 12-13: “The Dane County Housing Authority (DCHA) is hereby designated to be the agency to operate the SRO facility included in the Capital Budget. The county will consult with the DCHA in the selection of a building and the specifications for any renovation.”This amendment would allow for the county to purchase and renovate a building to serve as a SRO housing facility. The facility would be operated by the Dane County Housing Authority and would fill a vital need within the housing continuum in Dane County.
Dane County lacks adequate SRO resources. This housing segment provides important opportunities in preventing and alleviating homelessness. It is intended that the county will work withe the DCHA to locate and renovate a facility to meet this critical housing need. DCHA will operate the facility under a lease with the county.
HEIDI WEGLEITNER – HHN 12????
Increase expenditures and borrowing proceeds in the capital budget by $50,000 to fund the development of a housing plan and add the following language to Res. 134: “Resolution 292, 11-12, Dane County Recognizes Housing as a Human Right and requires the Human Services Board to initiate a process for developing a housing plan for Dane County.One of the most critical and time-sensitive objectives of the plan related to housing development is “increasing the number of single room occupancy housing units by 100 units and the number of housing units affordable to families supporting themselves on SSI or W-2 by 100 units to September 1, 2015.”
In order to effectively determine where these housing units are most needed and which ones should be built with county funding, the Human Services Board and County staff and policy makers would benefit from a housing needs study. This housing needs study would ascertain the existing housing stock of each of the municipalities within Dane County as well as the existing housing needs, in terms of income levels, age groups, household sizes, and persons with special needs, as called for in the Dane County Comprehensive Plan. Based on the results of the housing needs study, Dane County can pursue development of the additional units
HEIDI WEGLEITNER – HHN 13???
Increase expenditures in the operating budget by $74,900 to provide funding to operate a homeless day resource center through all of calendar year 2013.The County Executive’ s budget provides funding for a homeless day resource center from January through April
2013. The needs of the homeless for day shelter services extends throughout the calendar year, not just during the winter months. This amendment provides funding to operate the center for the balance of 2013. The funding for this amendment is provided by two additional amendments, one to un-fund a Park Maintenance Technician and one to delay filling two Mechanical Repair Worker positions.
HEIDI WEGLEITNER – HHN 14??
To increase expenditures and borrowing proceeds by $600,000 to purchase and renovate a facility to serve as a permanent homeless day resource center.This amendment provides funding to establish a permanent homeless day resource center as provided in Res. 84, 2012-2013.
BILL CLAUSIUS – HHN 15????
Increase expenditures and borrowing proceeds by $125,000 to initiate a feasibility and planning analysis for a homeless shelter for Dane County and add the following language to Res. 134: “The County Board has passed several resolutions indicating its commitment to addressing the issue of homelessness. In an effort to address this issue in the long-term, a study committee appointed by the County Executive and County Board Chair will guide the feasibility and planning study for the development of a homeless shelter. The study committee will be composed of one representative from: the health and human needs committee, the homeless task force, the public works and transportation committee, and an advocate for homeless issues.The study will collect information from stakeholders on the needs of homeless and develop a conceptual design that can be used to evaluate existing facilities or to assist in the design of a new facility that will meet these needs.
And there they are. Personally, I support anything at this point – at least the county is making an effort to do something! Correction, at least the county board supervisors are attempting to do something. Meanwhile, the County Executive and the Mayor aren’t doing much – until pushed into it. And the City Council . . . well, their amendments to the budget for Board of Estimates are due today, at noon. I don’t expect to see anything when they come out on Thursday, but I’d love to be proven wrong, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
