LATE                                                                                                              ADOPTED - FEBRUARY 28,2006

Agenda Item No. 15

Introduced by Commissioner Grebner of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM OF THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO RECONSIDER THE DECISION NOT TO FULLY FUND THE LANSING CONTINUUM OF CARE’S SUPPORTIVE HOUSING GRANT REQUEST

RESOLUTION #06-053

 WHEREAS,  the Lansing Continuum of Care’s Supportive Housing Grant application request for 2005 included six priorities for funding;  and           

WHEREAS, the Supportive Housing Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development did not fund the Lansing Continuum of Care’s top two priorities during the grant application process including two new programs for homeless people; 1) the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition Permanent Supportive Housing Program and 2) Volunteers of America, Michigan (VOAMI)  Homeless Outreach Program (VOAMI  New Hope Day Center); and

WHEREAS, the Lansing Continuum of Care,  recognizing the VOAMI  New Hope Day Center to be essential to homeless services in the County as it serves 100 plus homeless people daily and some 25,000 service units a year, voted to make New Hope Day Center  the number two priority in its funding allocation request to HUD; and

WHEREAS, the Lansing area homeless services are already in crisis due to last year’s changes to the car donation rules made by the American Jobs Creation Act as VOAMI has lost 43 percent of its fundraising revenue from car donations and is unable to continue to provide the $250,000 it has traditionally supplied for the operation of the New Hope Day Center.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners requests the Supportive Housing Program of the U.S. Department of  Housing and Urban Development to reconsider the decision not to fully fund the Lansing Continuum of Care’s 2005 Supportive Housing grant request.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chairperson of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners is directed to forward a copy of this resolution to Mr. Mark Johnston, Program Director of the Supportive Housing Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk is directed to send a copy of this resolution  to Senators Levin and Stabenow, Representatives Rogers, Schwarz, Kilpatrick, Knollenberg, Levin and Camp, Governor Granholm, State Senator Garcia, State Representatives Hummel, Murphy, Byrum, and Whitmer, and City of Lansing Mayor Bernero.