Quick update….

After recent pressure from the media and HUD, we are very pleased to announce the City will be having an open community process, with Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) in the spending of the HPRP Funds.

Also, they have changed from a fee based system of case management to a dedicated case management system. This will mean six new jobs, and case managers committed exclusively to this program.

That is good news.

Still no movement on the HMIS issue. A logical formula for spending some money on HMIS has been presented, but we need to verify both the context and assumptions, so stay tuned.

What are they thinking?

It is supposed to be simple:  All stimulus funds are to be transparent, accountable and go to the people.

We are violating all three of these in our approach to spend $3.2 million in stimulus funds for the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing program.   (HPRP)

As published previously,  my two major concerns are the ”covert” process of selection of sub-grantees and the amount going to the “system”  vs. the amount going to the people.  The later concern is over the proposed $1000 per person the selected agencies would get for  “case management” , and the proposed $80,000 budgeted for the Homeless Management Information System  - a fancy name for basically what is an online data entry system -  when that very system was fully funded by HUD for $80k three months ago.

Let me tell you the root of this concern.  It is not a fear pulled out of my rear for no reason.  No, it is a dire concern based on the very first lesson I learned 20 years ago when we started Tent City as the primary homeless awareness project in the community.  

In 1989 I was a professional stand-up comedian and television producer, so I brought together a bunch of my media friends as well as the providers and politicians to bring the community together.   I noticed many agency directors flock to the fund raising committee.   I figured they knew what they were doing of course. continue reading » »

Yesterday I sent an email out to several agencies in town, alerting them to the availability of the funds.  We have received over 20 responses,  MOST had no idea about the three point two million dollars coming into the city.   How and why the community,  the people who are doing the job, did not even know about the availability is our primary bone of contention.

Of those responses, I am getting many opinions about what is “really going on”.  Here are some answers to the most commonly expressed.

If the deadline was May 18th, how can they add agencies?   HUD is now reviewing the Supplemental Amendments.  As ours violates the requirements of Section F. 2. b., there is the possibility of it being rejected.  If that happens  we will be notified by July 2nd, and have 15 days to revise and re-submit it. continue reading » »

Despite the concerns levied during the public comment period, none were even acknowledged.  

Therefore we are taking it up a notch, once again, both locally and nationally.

Here are the relevant documents

1) HPRP Notice

2) Toledo’s Supplemental Amendment

3) Full content of the 1matters challenge

4) Dayton’s similar Supplemental Amendment

The City is holding a public meeting on 6/15.  Sadly the purpose of that meeting is to tell agencies what they are going to do with the funds.  NOT seek their input.  

We hear as more of the closer agencies “in the know” contact Deb to complain, they are quietly added and committed funds.