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Prescott Cares funds support rental aid and US Vets operations; developers, staff cite environmental-review hurdles
Summary
Committee heard updates on Prescott Cares rental assistance and the US Vets program: the Chamber Foundation-administered Prescott Cares has several rental slots remaining and US Vets reported meal, placement and employment figures tied to COVID-era CDBG funding allocated by the city.
Sherry Heiney, who administers Prescott Cares through the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Foundation, told the CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee that the COVID-era Prescott Cares fund has been in active use and that rental assistance was a newly allowable activity after HUD relaxed some COVID restrictions.
"We approved and are paying 2 residents of Prescott their rent for the next 6 months," Heiney said, and she reported that outreach and recent marketing to the Bradshaw Apartments produced several new applications. Heiney told the committee she has "about 6 applications" on her desk and estimated the program could fill roughly 12 more rental-assistance spots with remaining funds.
Michael McInnis told the committee the Prescott Cares pot originated from federal COVID-era CDBG funds and that the city has until June 30 to expend remaining Prescott Cares money. He also stated the committee funded US Vets with $117,000 from the Prescott Cares allocation.
Brian Campbell, executive director of US Vets, described how his organization used the funding for direct veteran services and operations. "All 100% of it went to the veterans. It didn't go to staffing. It went to direct, you know, direct services," Campbell said. He reported program outputs for the past year: "We served over 71,000 meals this past year to the veterans in our program. We also served over 530 veterans just alone. 100 veterans were placed into permanent housing. 72 veterans were placed into employment." Those counts and program definitions were presented by Campbell as program totals for his organization.
Campbell also described a Fort Whipple project on the VA campus that will provide permanent housing. "Currently, it's gonna be a 103 permanent housing units for senior veterans. 23 of those units are are spread out between 6 of those... officer quarters... 23 of them that are gonna open up in January. Then there's a 4 story build... that's gonna be 80 units. Those 80 units are opening up in June," he said.
On funding totals, the transcript contains two figures referenced by different speakers: Michael McInnis said the city funded US Vets $117,000 from Prescott Cares; later Brian Campbell referred to "the 123,000 that's sitting there" for the Fort Whipple project. The committee did not resolve the numerical discrepancy during the meeting.
Heiney and Campbell described the rental-assistance and wraparound services as part of an effort to connect people to longer-term supports. Heiney said Prescott Cares encouraged linkages to other providers, including NACOG’s aging director, and Campbell described aftercare case management for veterans who leave US Vets’ programs.
No formal committee vote on Prescott Cares allocations or US Vets spending was taken at the meeting; the updates were informational. Committee members asked about program duration: Heiney said the Minor Home Repair program has active projects and that, with current funding, it is expected to continue for about a year. McInnis and Heiney encouraged committee members to attend the City Council hearing on Sept. 9 where staff will present the CAPER and related program updates.
