Commissioners review conditional $2.69M HOME‑ARP award to Metro Lutheran Ministry for 16 rental units serving people experiencing homelessness

Heather McNeeve, housing services director, presented a conditional award recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for HOME‑ARP rental housing, operating and capacity building funds totaling $2,686,777.26 to Metro Lutheran Ministry (MLM).

McNeeve said HOME‑ARP funds must serve qualifying populations (QPs) defined in the county’s allocation plan — people who are literally homeless, at‑risk of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence and other very‑low‑income and vulnerable households. The county’s allocation plan includes a chronically homeless preference for people who have experienced long‑term homelessness (12 months or more) and have a disability.

The county received a single competitive application from Metro Lutheran Ministry. The rating team (volunteer members of the housing and community development advisory committee) scored the proposal highly and the full advisory committee voted unanimously to recommend the conditional award to the board. MLM proposed to acquire, rehab and rent 16 units (four four‑unit properties), and requested the rental development subsidy and roughly $300,000 for operating and capacity building. McNeeve said the HOME‑ARP subsidy per unit averages about $150,000; HOME‑ARP requires a 15‑year affordability period for rental development funded by these dollars.

MLM representatives said they intend to provide on‑site case management and supportive services, accept Section 8 vouchers and coordinate tenant referrals through the coordinated entry by‑name list operated by the continuum of care. Becky Poitras and Scott Cooper from MLM explained that MLM currently provides rapid rehousing and home‑repair programs and has an existing local presence; they said they currently have two case managers (one full time, one half time) serving Johnson County and would add staffing as needed to support the new units.

Staff described due diligence steps if the conditional award is authorized: MLM will enter a conditional/umbrella agreement and then begin a real‑estate search; specific property acquisitions will be subject to county review, HUD environmental (NEPA) review and deed restrictions that enforce income targeting and HOME‑ARP eligibility for 15 years. Payment is reimbursement‑based; MLM must front costs and seek reimbursement from the county and HUD. McNeeve said the conditional award timeline envisions property acquisition and rehab activity in 2026–27 and that HUD reimbursement deadlines and HOME‑ARP spending timelines (funds expire in 2030) make timely action important.

Commissioners asked about outreach, tenant selection, acceptance of Section 8 and compliance with fair housing and Violence Against Women Act protections. MLM said they will follow federal and state nondiscrimination requirements and will use the coordinated entry by‑name list to prioritize eligible tenants. McNeeve noted that point‑in‑time and coordinated entry data identify homelessness needs in the county and said a 16‑unit project could reduce unsheltered homelessness by a meaningful share of the current count.

Next steps: staff asked the commission to approve a conditional award and delegate authority to the director of planning, housing and community development to execute a conditional agreement with Metro Lutheran Ministry; site‑specific contracts, environmental reviews and deed restrictions would follow during acquisition and rehab.