Committee extends homelessness strategic-plan deadline, approves amended reporting schedule
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Summary
The Neighborhoods Committee voted 6–0 to extend the deadline for the five-year homelessness strategic plan and approved an amendment to move the submission date earlier (Oct. 31, 2026). Members pressed for speed and asked for procurement and implementation detail; staff said a consultant was selected from the RFP and the Homelessness Initiatives Commission has $1.8 million available to spend.
The committee approved legislation to extend the deadline for developing a five-year homelessness strategic plan and struck an inapplicable March 1, 2026 reporting requirement tied to the original schedule. Members criticized the pace of the commission’s work and urged faster action and clearer allocation of available funds.
Shannon McGillis (Office of General Counsel), on behalf of the homeless commission sponsor, said the commission selected the top responding RFP candidate for the plan; the consultant is not local but agreed to provide on-site presence and participate in commission meetings. Colonel (Councilmember) Miller and others voiced frustration at the time taken to finalize the plan and asked whether procurement or staffing processes could be accelerated.
Committee members also discussed $1.8 million that the commission has available for homelessness initiatives this fiscal year. Staff confirmed those funds are "above the line" in the budget and can be spent pursuant to the commission’s legally-allowed purposes without returning to council for additional approval, but any specific programmatic spending would come forward as separate legislation and require a council sponsor. Colonel Miller urged that the commission move from study to implementation.
Councilmember Boylan successfully offered an amendment moving the extended deadline earlier to Oct. 31, 2026; the committee approved the amendment and then approved the bill as amended by a 6–0 recorded vote.
What happens next: the contracted consultant will develop the strategic plan and the commission and staff will draft sponsor legislation to appropriate or direct use of the $1.8 million, subject to council processes.