Committee approves remaining CDBG-CV funds for homelessness and warming shelters

The Community and Economic Development Committee approved a substitute resolution to allocate the remaining Community Development Block Grant–COVID (CDBG-CV) funds for use on homelessness-related services, including warming shelters, during the winter months. The funding measure was introduced by department staff and adopted by the committee after discussion; Alderman Zamaripa moved for adoption and the motion carried with no objection.

Stephen Mayhem, deputy director of department administration, told the committee that the federal CDBG-CV grant originally totaled about $9 million over several years and that the city now has roughly $850,000 remaining that can be used to address homelessness. "Those dollars can now only be used for homelessness," Mayhem said, explaining the purpose for reallocating the remaining funds.

Vanessa Carmona Luis, associate director for the Community Development Grants Administration, said the department will return in the next committee cycle with a communication file containing a more detailed plan and reporting on how the funds will be spent. Committee members pressed staff on how the money would be distributed and asked for demographic details; staff said the funds will be used to fill gaps with partner organizations and to support warming shelters and wraparound services.

Committee members raised youth homelessness, large displaced families and the need for outreach and connection to services. Alderman Dimitra Robinson said the funding should be used to get people into warming shelters and to provide wraparound support so clients can transition to housing. "We try to see if we can get folks the low-hanging, issue individuals into housing," staff said, describing connections to shelter partners and follow-up services.

Staff said partners such as Saint Ben's are among the organizations that provide meals and shelter services and confirmed that food and dignity-preserving services can be paid for within the scope of the funding. The department also said some warming sites operate overnight and require guests to leave in the morning, while other partners provide additional outreach and housing navigation.

The committee directed staff to present a detailed spending plan and demographic breakdowns — including, where available, information about youth homelessness and LGBTQ+ youth rates — in the next communications file to the committee.