HomeMy WebLinkAboutTemporary Funding for Warming Center, Winter 2011
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor & City Commission
FROM: Chris Mehl, City Commissioner
SUBJECT: Temporary Funding for Warming Center, Winter 2011
MEETING DATE: January 3, 2011
AGENDA MEETING ITEM: Action
RECOMMENDATION: The City Commission authorize a contribution of $6,000 for a Warming Center
for the winter of 2011 be made from the City's General Fund by the City Manager, drawing on current
year vacancy savings or operating savings as the Manager sees fit in compliance with Resolution No.
3866 (attached) which governs grants of City Funds. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Authorize the City Manager to expend $6,000 from the City's General
Fund for a Warming Center for the winter of 2011 using current year vacancy savings or operating
savings as the Manager sees fit in compliance with Resolution No. 3866.
BACKGROUND: The attached Resolution 3866, Application, and Background information provide
greater detail to the following brief summary. The Warming Center will provide a quick, temporary, and
no-frills overnight shelter to address a humanitarian need during the next three winter months at a time of
continued economic distress for many in our community. A previous shelter no longer accepts overnight
stays, and the Warming Center is a practical, short-term action that can be taken at minimal cost. Bozeman residents and organizations actively are raising funds for this project, and a Warming Center
this winter will help them gather the data necessary to plan for appropriate longer-term shelter offered by
the community.
APPLICATION: Attached is an Application and Background information outlining the work plan, budget, and other issues.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: Funding level (the attached Application requests more funding than initially
anticipated) and whether to set additional stipulations for the grant.
ALTERNATIVES: 1) Approve a $6,000 contribution with stipulations in Application.
2) Alter the amount of the contribution.
3) Deny the contribution.
4) Suggest conditions for approval in addition to those in the Application and Resolution No. 3866. The Application and Background currently detail a number of conditions such as compelling public interest, timing (the year, months, and hours of operation), location, and reporting.
FISCAL EFFECTS: Maximum of $6,000, or substituted contribution amount, for the current fiscal year
(2011). 320
Attachments: Resolution 3866
Application, December 21, 2010
Background, December 22, 2010
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COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO 3866
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN
MONTANA ESTABLISHING A POLICY FOR GRANTING OF FUNDS FROM THE
CITY OF BOZEMAN TO A REQUESTING ENTITY
WHEREAS from time to time the City Commission receives requests for funding assistance
from various entities in the community and
WHEREAS the City Commission has determined it is necessary to establish criteria upon
which to review a request and base a decision and
WHEREAS at its meeting held on the 8th day of December 2003 the City Commission
identified seven key elements of consideration
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman
Montana
Section 1
The City of Bozeman has established funding criteria for a number of its programs including
but not limited to the CDBG Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund park improvement program
affordable housing grants and Community Transportation Enhancement Program Requests forfunding
assistance for all other programs not subject to existing award criteria shall be considered in light of the
following
1 An identified and defined public interest must be addressed
2 A formal application including work program and budget must be
submitted
3 Whether any portion of grants should be used for wages or salaries should
be determined on a case by case basis
4 With the exception of affordable housing projects the applicant must
demonstrate active fund raising efforts in addition to the funds sought from
the City
5 A formal report should be submitted at the end of the project or program
year which includes all information necessary to demonstrate that the
funds have been appropriately utilized for the intended purposes
6 An applicants eligibility may be suspended for any misappropriation of
funds or failure to report Any misrepresentation or falsification results in
the immediate disqualification of the applicant
7 Awards may not be made for lobbying or other political purposes
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Except for capital improvement projects that are not completed within a fiscal year all awards
shall be made for one year only
Section 2
Any requests for funding from the City s General Fund will be considered only during the annual
budgeting process except in the case of a compelling public interest as identified by the Commission
Requests for funding from other City of Bozeman revenue sources may be considered on a case by case
basis throughout the fiscal year
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman Montana at a
regular session thereof held on the 17th day of Octoer 2
ATTEST
R L SULLIVAN
City Clerk
2
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Homeless Warming Center
Request for Funding Assistance
City of Bozeman
December 21, 2010
Applicant: Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. (HRDC)
32 South Tracy Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715
Section I
1. An identified and defined public interest must be addressed (this also addresses Section II of Resolution
3866).
Shelter for the homeless has long been identified as public interest, from neighboring Montana community articles
regarding Bozeman’s lack of services to the unfortunate death of a local transient resident the winter before last.
The local Continuum of Care, Greater Gallatin Homeless Action Coalition, formed as a response to this identified
matter of public interest and has been in operation for more than 18 months. Further, the Bozeman community
has been awarded State Continuum of Care dollars to address homelessness at the local level in the form of
Transitional Housing Funding. Recently, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle Staff and Editorial Board have further
identified the matter as a defined public interest story.
2. A formal application including work program and budget must be
Submitted
The Warming Center Work Program consists of the following components:
A. Staffing – 3 staff persons will be hired as contract employees of the HRDC for the period of January 1 –
March 31, 2011. Schedules will rotate with a minimum of 2 shifts weekly, and a rotated 3rd shift for each
employee every 3rd week. Staff persons will have completed criminal background checks and met the
minimum requirements as outlined in the Job Description (Attachment A).
B. Hours of Operation – Hours of Operation will be from 7 pm to 7 am daily from January 1 – March 31,
2011. Families and Individuals seeking services can arrive anytime after 7 pm and must be present by 10
pm for ‘lights out’ time. The Warming Center will partner with the Bozeman Police Department in
providing access to individuals and families after 10 pm. Persons wishing to remain in the Warming
Center overnight will be required to stay from 10 pm to 6 am.
C. Policies and Procedures:
1) All persons wishing to access the Warming Center will be required to complete a HMIS
(Homeless Management Information System) Application Form and their stay(s) at the Warming
Center will be tracked within the HMIS database. Identification will be required in order to
complete the application process.
2) Occupants will be required to attend HRDC’s Housing Workshop on the 1st Tuesday or Thursday
following their arrival in order to actively implement a ‘housing services plan’ for their transition to
permanent housing.
3) Occupants will be limited to seven nights occupancy if they are not actively working with HRDC
case managers or other community service provider case managers to actively seek permanent
housing or if they qualify for services through another homeless service provider but refuse to
access that service.
4) Occupants will be required to sign the ‘housing services agreement’ outlining program
expectations.
5) Occupants will be required to sign the ‘occupant agreement’ outlining Warming Center Policies
and Procedures as well as on site behavioral expectations
6) For safety purposes, the Warming Center will not operate without a minimum of 1 staff person
and 1 volunteer on site.
7) Volunteers and Staff will complete Facility and Safety Training.
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8) The Warming Center will be open to: Families and Individuals with no safe housing alternatives
available to them.
9) The Warming Center reserves the right to refuse services to anyone.
D. Insurance – General Liability Insurance will be carried on the facility and operations by HRDC. Further
insurance requirements may be imposed by Owner or Unit of Local Government, requirements for
additional insurance will be implemented.
E. Facility – the Warming Center will operate based on facility availability. Preliminary lease agreements
allow for a 90 day probationary period, during which the owner can terminate the lease arrangement with
HRDC. The current lease agreement is for a warehouse type facility located at 1408 Gold Avenue, Unit
1, in Bozeman, MT.
F. Services – The Warming Center will provide a warm facility for families and individuals experiencing
homelessness. Food, Hygiene, Health, Case Management, Permanent Housing, and other services will
be provided by HRDC and its community partners including, but not limited to: Amos House, Bozeman
United Methodist Church, Help Center, Gallatin Mental Health, Community Health Partners, Greater
Gallatin United Way, Job Service, Veteran’s Services, Haven, and Family Promise.
The Warming Center Operational Budget consists of the following:
Revenues: Community Contributions $12,027
City of Bozeman $12,027
Expenses: Salary/Fringe $18,954
Facility – Lease $3,150
Facility – Utilities $450
Insurance $1,500
3. Whether any portion of grants should be used for wages or salaries should
be determined on a case by case basis
Salary/Fringe is estimated at 1 staff person/evening = $15/hour, 12 hours, 90 days.
4. With the exception of affordable housing projects the applicant must
demonstrate active fundraising efforts in addition to the funds sought from
the City
Active fundraising efforts are in process and have generated $9,375 in community contributions through
December 21, 2010.
5. A formal report should be submitted at the end of the project or program
year which includes all information necessary to demonstrate that the
funds have been appropriately utilized for the intended purposes
A program report shall be submitted within 30 days following the close of the project. The report shall include
actual expenditures as well as documentation regarding temperatures for each day within the 90 day period and
utilization reports cross-referenced with those temperature logs.
6. An applicant’s eligibility may be suspended for any misappropriation of
funds or failure to report. Any misrepresentation or falsification results in
the immediate disqualification of the applicant
HRDC understands and will comply.
7. Awards may not be made for lobbying or other political purposes
HRDC understands and will comply.
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Warming Center – Background Information
December 22, 2010
The Greater Gallatin Homeless Action Coalition (GGHAC) was formed more than 18 months ago to
network and create a community strategic plan to address homelessness within our community. The
Coalition was formed under the ‘Continuum of Care’ model, existing across the country.
Emergency Shelter exists within our community in very limited fashions: Haven, for female victims of
domestic violence (and their children); Hope House, for individuals suffering severe mental health
crises, capped at a 5 day stay; Family Promise, for employable families, capped at 3 families (maximum
15 participants) for a duration of 90 days; and formerly Amos House, for homeless males over age 18,
capped at a 7 day stay. HRDC operates programs that assist families in obtaining permanent housing,
and has recently been awarded new grant funds to provide further transitional housing opportunities
within the community, yet is still unable to immediately serve someone experiencing homelessness.
Housing workshops are offered twice weekly in Bozeman and once weekly in Livingston to provide
resources and case management services for those who are currently experiencing homelessness or at
risk of becoming homeless (current eviction notice). Within the past week, more than 10 households in
attendance at these workshops would have been referred to the Warming Center for immediate shelter.
Further, HRDC has provided homeless placement services (security deposit, rental assistance, case
management services, housing search assistance) to more than 240 households within the last fiscal year.
Each of these households was without housing at the time they reached out to HRDC for assistance.
They were each ineligible for existing shelter services available within the community.
GGHAC’s mission is to prevent any loss of life within our community due to the elements by providing
a facility with heat and plumbing available to all populations. GGHAC’s mission is also to document
the need and utilization of a warming center facility, combined with specific demographics of those who
participate in order to effectively advise the community of how to best focus its resources to serve the
‘homeless’ population regardless of age or circumstance.
Thus, at our last GGHAC meeting, a committee was established to look at a short-term, immediate
response to the need for ‘a warm place’ for someone to seek shelter. The committee made some very
specific decisions up front. First, that we would take this opportunity to capture as much data as
possible in order to assist the community in determining the need for a more permanent solution.
Second, that we would attempt to raise the funds to operate a facility for a period of 90 days, January 1 –
March 31, 2011. Third, the facility would be open to any person or persons not having a safe place to
rest for the evening. Fourth, the facility would be an open, heated space with a restroom facility.
Space for the Warming Center has been located, at 1408 Gold Street in Bozeman. The Committee is
having conversations with the appropriate city departments regarding occupancy and use of the facility.
The Committee is actively seeking employees and volunteers to staff the facility from 7 pm to 7 am,
seven days per week, beginning January 1.
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