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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 09-19-2000-5cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 19, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. ~ ~ G SUBJECT: Inter-Faith Council - Pr~ct HomeStart _ DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Resolution Inter-Faith Council. Letter INFORMATION CONTACT: Moses Carey, Jr. TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hiilsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider a resolution based on a request from the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service to reconvene the original 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force to discuss future financial support for Project HomeStart. BACKGROUND: In 1997, Inter-Faith Council received a $1.3 million dollar Supportive Housing Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the construction and operation of three transitional housing units. Each housing unit could accommodate five families and the project was named Project HomeStart.. The original plan was for InterFaith Council to operate two units for homeless families and the Coalition for Battered Women was scheduled to operate the third unit for families who were homeless as a result of domestic violence. Additional project funding was obtained from other sources including the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, the HOME Investment Partnership Program, Orange County, as well as private donations. Further, the County provided along-term lease for the site of the project on County property on Homestead Road. The lease with InterFaith Council became effective July 1, 1995 fora 25-year term. On July 1, 199$, the InterFaith Council for Social Services (IFC) began operating two of the transitional housing units. The Coalition for Battered Women was unable to occupy 'the third housing unit during the first year of operations for various administrative reasons. As a result, in the fall of 1999, IFC hired a Domestic Violence caseworker and began operating the third building as transitional housing for five families experiencing homeless due to domestic violence. As the end of the initial three year grant period approaches on June 30, 2001, the Board President and Executive Director of InterFaith Council have expressed concerns regarding future funding for Project HomeStart. There has been informal communication from HUD indicating that additional funding through March 2002 may be available to extend services beyond the current fiscal year. Nevertheless, the Board of Directors has indicated that IFC will not be able to assume full financial responsibility for Project HomeStart after HUD funding has been exhausted. To address this situation, the IFC Board has asked the Board of County Commissioners to reconvene the 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force to identify and discuss possible revenue sources for Project HameStart operations after March 31, 2002. A resolution is attached which directs the reconvening ofi the 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force to identify and discuss possible revenue sources for Project HomeStart operations after March 31, 2002. FINANCIAL IMPACT: No immediate financial impact. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends approval of the resalutian directing the reconvening ofi the 1,994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force for the purpose of identifying future revenue sources for Project HomeStart. DRAFT ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS A Resolution Directing the Reconvening of the Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force for the Purpose of Identifying Future Revenue Sources for Project HomeStart WHEREAS, the Inter-Faith Council (IFC) received a $1.3 million dollar Supportive Housing Grant in 1997 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the construction and operation of three transitional housing units, commonly known as Project HomeStart; and, WHEREAS, the end of the initial three year grant period supporting Project HomeStart is approaching on June 30, 2001 and the IFC Board President and Executive Director have expressed concerns regarding future funding for Project HomeStart; and, WHEREAS, informal communication with HUD has indicated that additional funding through March 2002 may be available to extend services beyond the current fiscal year; and, WHEREAS, the IFC Board of Directors has indicated that IFC will not be able to assume full financial responsibility for Project HomeStart after HUD funding has been exhausted; and, WHEREAS, the IFC Board has asked the Board of County Commissioners to reconvene the 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force to identify and discuss possible revenue sources for Project HomeStart operations after March 31, 2002; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE Orange County Board of Commissioners that, by approval of this resolution, the reconvening of the 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force is hereby directed for the purpose of identifying and discussing possible future revenue sources for Project HomeStart operations after March 31, 2002. This the 19th day of September, 2000. 4 Inter-Faith Council for Social Serv Pamela Srr Pr~sid~ 2505 Homestead Rc Chapel Hill, NC 27; (919) 932-6025 (o), (919) 408-0035 August 7, 2000 Mr. Moses Carey, Jr., Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners Orange County Offices P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 2727$ Dear Mr. Carey: Chris Moran and I would like to thank you for the productive meeting we had with you on August 4 concerning our agency's concerns about future funding for Project Homestart. As you are aware the original three-year "Supportive Housing" grant awarded to the IFC will end on June 30, 2001. We also informed you that officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have informally told our staff that enough grant funds remain to extend transitional housing services beyond the fiscal year period through March 30 of 2002. Our Executive Director is currently handling our request for this extension. The IFC Board of Directors would like to inform all concerned parties that we will no longer be able to provide transitional housing services at Project Homestart after March of 2002 if we are to assume full financial responsibility. The Board has also decided, based on a recommendation from its Strategic Planning Committee, to ask the Orange County Board of Commissioners to reconvene the original 1994 Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Farce. If you recall this was afollow-up group that was appointed by the Board of Commissioners to implement the original recommendations of the 1991 Orange County Task Force on Homeless Women and Children. Our board expressed the concern that since Project Homestart was a direct outcome of both Orange County task forces; the responsibility for continuing services to homeless families should be shared by a greater number of organizations in addition to the IFC. Mr. Carey, the board of directors clearly stated on July 19 that our organization must receive the necessary financial support from HUD or other revenue sources if future services are to be provided. At the July 19 IFC Board meeting, Chris Moran gave board members an update on a number of options that might be considered for the continuation of Project Homestart. He reported that a newly developed "Continuum of Care" model recommended by HUD had been implemented whereby community agencies and partners will meet on a monthly basis to review needs, services and make funding recommendations for consideration by 5 Letter to Moses Carey, Jr., Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners Page 2 HUD. The first continuum of care meeting was held on Wednesday, July 26 at the Southern Human Services Center. Mr. Carey, it is our belief that there are a number of ideas that have not been weighed. We ask that you consider a process for bringing together many of the individuals or agency representatives that were once convened by the county. This collaborative model was instrumental in mobilizing HUD support in the past. Community leaders can again share meaningful alternatives that could be implemented to continue transitional _ housing services. We trust that we all will find the right solution with the involvement of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Thank you for your continued support of the Inter-Faith Council and Project Homestart. Please feel free to contact Chris Moran or me if you need additional information or assistance. Sincerely, QG?m~~ Pamela Smith, President cc: Orange County Board of Commissioners John Link, Jr., County Manager Libby Stanley, Department of Housing and Urban Development