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Commission asks staff for vendor-level homelessness spending data; staff to return in August
Summary
Commissioners asked staff to produce a simple template breaking down homelessness funding by source, vendor, operating and capital costs and department personnel allocations; staff agreed to return with the requested data in August and the commission approved the follow-up motion.
The Budget and Finance Commission directed staff to prepare a focused breakdown of homelessness spending and to return with the material in August.
Commissioner Samples moved that staff bring back a template and supporting data showing sources and uses of homelessness funding, department personnel allocations, operating and capital costs, and vendor/contract allocations. The motion passed unanimously.
What the commission asked for
Commissioners said they wanted a stepwise approach: start with a high-level source-and-application table for homelessness spending, then drill into categories if the numbers indicate areas that warrant further review. The categories requested included:
- Personnel: FTE and portion of time assigned to homelessness work by department (for example, a city attorney-funded navigator assigned a percentage of time); - Operating costs: recurring contract payments, services and utilities associated with shelters and programs; - Capital costs: the pallet-shelter construction project and any other facility investments, with the funding source identified (grant vs. local funds); - Vendor/payee detail: a list of major vendors and contract amounts when practicable; staff said vendor detail exists in purchase orders and contract records and volunteered to provide that information where feasible.
Staff response and schedule
Finance Director Stephanie said staff has the underlying vendor and contract information and that assembling a validated, department-level, source-and-application table requires more time than producing a high-level summary. Staff committed to bringing the template and initial data to the commission in August, and to prioritizing the categories that will be most useful for commissioners and the public.
Why it matters
Commissioners noted that homelessness-related spending involves a mix of grant funds, contracts with social-service providers and internal staff time. Understanding the full cost pictureincluding any operating cost of new shelter facilities and recurring maintenanceis necessary to assess long-term affordability and to identify potential efficiencies.
Outcome
The commission approved the motion to return in August with the requested template and data. Staff will prepare a report that starts with the high-level source-and-use table, then adds vendor-level and personnel-allocation detail where available.
Ending
Commissioners and staff agreed the initial August deliverable should prioritize clarity and practical categories so the commission can determine whether deeper vendor-level analysis is warranted.
