Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homelessness And Shelter Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Urbana begins executing $2M‑plus housing and homeless innovation agreements; staff turnover noted
Summary
City staff told commissioners that council‑approved agreements totaling just over $2 million from ARPA, HOME‑ARP and city funds are being executed to support shelter development and services; interim grants manager updated commission on staffing changes and vacant commission seats.
City of Urbana staff told the Community Development Commission on Tuesday that the city has begun executing agreements approved by council in July for the Housing and Homeless Innovations Program, a funding round of a little more than $2,000,000 that combines American Rescue Plan Act funds, HOME‑ARP funds and city general funds.
Interim Grants Division Manager Nick Olsen said, “We have started executing those agreements,” and described funding for a range of activities including supportive services, case management and development of new shelter spaces.
Olsen told the commission the agreements approved in July are now moving into execution. He did not provide a list of awardees or contract amounts for individual organizations at the hearing; commissioners were told those agreements are being executed in the coming weeks as staff and recipients finalize terms.
During the staff report Olsen also updated the commission on personnel changes in the city’s grants division: Braden Belcher, the former grants division manager, has left for a position at the University of Illinois, and Olivia Jovine has joined the city as the new director of Community Development. Olsen said the city expects to post vacancies in the grants division soon and asked commissioners to help recruit applicants who meet the requirement to live in the City of Urbana.
Commissioners were reminded that the CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) for the prior fiscal year will be drafted in September, will be posted for public comment and will be the subject of a public hearing at the commission’s September meeting.
