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Task force hears Attic housing report; vote on a support letter deferred to next meeting
Summary
A Marathon County homeless task force heard a presentation from Sean, an Attic representative, about a housing program for justice-involved residents and agreed to put a requested general letter of support on the next meeting agenda after discussion about landlord risk and program referrals.
Sean, an Attic representative, told the Marathon County homeless task force that a small pilot of the program kept 10 of 12 participants housed for a year, a success he quantified as “10 out of 12. So it's at 83 percent.”
The presentation described a housing-plus-services model aimed at people with criminal-justice involvement and co-occurring substance-use or mental-health needs. Sean said clients are usually referred by their agents in the Department of Corrections and through Marathon County supervision. He said the program provides AODA counseling, case management, drug testing, and a part-time mental-health staffer as part of its contracted services with Marathon County.
Task force members and guest speakers pressed on landlord recruitment and risk mitigation. The group discussed including a reserve or incentive fund in grant applications to reassure landlords who can choose among multiple applicants. A task force member who said they had previously rented to clients described why strong representation and documentation matter: “I think that plays a huge part in getting accommodations for those people,” the member said.
Members discussed the formal request: Attic asked the group for a general letter of support the organization could use in grant applications. A motion to authorize task force sign-on to a general letter of support was made and seconded during the meeting, but members agreed to place the item on the next meeting’s agenda for possible action rather than vote immediately. A draft letter will be provided in the meeting packet for the next meeting so members can review the proposed language.
Attendees also raised questions about referral volume and outreach to agents. Sean said agents have many referral options within the Department of Corrections and that referral patterns vary; he described ongoing outreach to new agents to increase awareness of the program.
Next steps: the task force will consider the draft letter and may vote on a motion to sign a letter of support at its next meeting. The request will also be part of the material presented to the county board as the county evaluates potential funding and partnerships.
