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Cunningham Township wins $1.3M‑a‑year living room grant; board approves rapid rehousing and other homelessness grants
Summary
On July 13 the Cunningham Township Board accepted a new three‑year, $1.3 million‑per‑year grant to open a countywide living‑room crisis respite, and approved state rapid rehousing and other homelessness grant renewals. Supervisor Danielle Chenoweth described staffing, coordination with hospitals and shelters, and next steps for implementation.
The Cunningham Township Board on July 13 approved a package of homelessness grants, including a new living room crisis respite award and renewals for rapid rehousing and emergency transitional housing.
Supervisor Danielle Chenoweth told trustees the living room award is significant: "It is, dollars 1,300,000 annually for 3 years that allows us to provide a crisis respite center," she said, describing a voluntary, non‑clinical space staffed by peer supports and a qualified mental‑health professional intended to divert people from emergency rooms.
Chenoweth said the township will seek a location in the metro area between Urbana and Champaign, expects to add about 17 township employees (many transferring from the existing Friend and Me collaboration), and anticipates signing a lease in August and integrating services by October 1. She flagged coordination needs with law enforcement and hospitals for drop‑off and discharge protocols and noted staff credentialing and a state credentialing process are underway.
The board also approved a state rapid rehousing grant (resolution T202607011R) and agreed in omnibus votes to renew additional homelessness grants and a contract with Homebase for strategic planning work on the continuum of services. Chenoweth summarized recent program metrics: the winter emergency shelter served 216 male‑identified residents Nov. 2023–May 2024 with a peak census of 82; family shelter exits show a 93% success rate for housing people served by the family shelter; the township reported 79 active general assistance cases and 20 new applications in June.
Trustees asked for clarification about partner roles and operations. Chenoweth said Friend and Me was the primary operator for the winter bed expansion and that Rosecrans — which previously operated a living room — will be contracted to provide a qualified mental‑health professional for after‑hours coverage under the new grant. She also outlined HUD funding opportunities that could add roughly $550,000 in bonus funds for street outreach and housing navigation if the community pursues them.
Motions to approve the rapid rehousing resolution and the omnibus slate of grant renewals passed by roll call. The board later approved contracts for audit services and in‑person supervisory training tied to the living room staffing plan.
What happens next: township staff will finalize certifications, secure a location and proceed with hiring and credentialing; Chenoweth said the township will continue monthly reporting and keep trustees informed of contract signings and operational timelines.
