This is Our Moment: Funding the Bartillion Shelter and Defining Who We Are.

What and who are we is going to be asked and highlighted more than ever, in this Political climate.

We are living in unprecedented times. The federal government is turning its back on vulnerable communities. State support for local services continues to erode. In this political climate, what we do at the local level—in our cities, in our county, in our neighborhoods—matters more than ever before.
Who are we going to be? What kind of community will we build together? These aren't just philosophical questions. They're being answered right now, in real time, through the budget decisions we make and the priorities we set. And right now, one decision stands before us that will define our community's character for years to come: will we fully fund 24/7 operations at the Bartillion men's shelter?

Madison Has Stepped Up with Unprecedented Commitment
The City of Madison has already answered this question with an historic commitment: $1.7 million annually for shelter operations. This includes $1 million in new funding from Mayor Rhodes-Conway's 2026 budget plus $700,000 from our Community Development Division.

Let me be clear about what this means: municipalities almost never fund homeless shelter operations. That's traditionally been the role of counties, nonprofits, and private donors. By committing nearly $2 million annually, Madison is going far beyond what cities typically do—because we recognize that extraordinary times call for extraordinary action.
This isn't just about money. It's about values. It's about saying that in a time when larger levels of government are abandoning their responsibilities to the most vulnerable, we will not do the same. We Need Dane County to Match Our Commitment.

Madison's unprecedented contribution isn't enough.To operate the Bartillion shelter 24/7 with the comprehensive services people need to transition to permanent housing, we need $4 million annually.

City of Madison: $1.7 million (43% of total need)
Dane County (proposed): ~$588,000 (barely 15% of total need)
Funding gap: $1.7 million
We built this $27 million shelter together—$13.5 million from the City, $10.5 million from Dane County, $2 million in federal funds. We designed it together. We celebrated breaking ground together.

This is a County-Wide Responsibility
Here's what we all know but don't always say out loud: people experiencing homelessness come to Madison from across Dane County. They come because we're one of the few communities with comprehensive services. Our surrounding municipalities benefit from Madison's homeless infrastructure. 
Since the pandemic, demand for homeless shelters has tripled. Homelessness has increased dramatically across Dane County over the past five years. Those who can't find beds are left outside, regardless of weather, regardless of health conditions, regardless of safety. This isn't just Madison's problem—it's a county-wide crisis that demands county-level solutions. The Bartillion shelter will serve people from across our region. It's only fair that the County matches the City's contribution to make it work.

What's at Stake is More Than Just One Shelter.
I want to be honest with you about what's happening in this moment, because it matters for more than just this one decision. We are being tested. In the current political climate, there are forces that want local government to fail. They want us to be unable to meet our communities' needs. They want us to fight amongst ourselves about who should pay for what. They want residents to lose faith in the ability of government—any government—to solve problems.
And when we can't come together to fund something as fundamental as shelter for people experiencing homelessness, we play into that narrative. We prove them right.

But here's what I believe: local government, local leaders, and local communities working together are the only way we build the future our families deserve. Not by abandoning each other. Not by passing the buck. Not by saying "that's someone else's problem."
I also want to talk about something that doesn't get discussed enough: the toll this takes on the people trying to do this work. Elected officials at the local level—your city alders, your county supervisors—we're fighting every day to maintain services, to protect our most vulnerable neighbors, to build the community infrastructure we all depend on. And we're doing it with fewer resources, less state support, and more challenges than ever before. 

This political climate can inadvertently cause real harm to local leaders who are trying to do what's right. When we can't agree on basic priorities. When we fight over who should pay rather than how we solve the problem together. When good people trying to serve their community face constant attacks simply for trying to help. We need to be better than that. We need to support each other in doing this hard work.

I understand that Dane County faces a $31 million structural deficit. County Executive Agard has asked departments to cut budgets by 4%. These are genuinely difficult times requiring difficult choices. But that's exactly when our priorities matter most.
The question isn't whether we have challenges—we do. The question is: in the face of those challenges, who do we choose to be?
Do we invest in solutions, or do we walk away from the problem?
Do we work together across jurisdictional lines, or do we point fingers about whose responsibility it is?
Do we protect our most vulnerable neighbors, or do we leave them to fend for themselves?
Budgets are moral documents. They show what we value.

What You Can Do Right Now
Contact your Dane County Supervisor today and tell them:
1. Dane County must match the City of Madison's $1.7 million annual contribution to Bartillion shelter operations
2. This is a county-wide issue that requires county-level funding
3. We cannot waste our $27 million construction investment by failing to adequately fund operations
4. In this political climate, local government stepping up is more important than ever.
 

Find your County Supervisor: [Visit the Dane County Board of Supervisors website]
Attend County Board meetings as the 2026 budget is debated in the coming weeks.

Talk to your neighbors about why this matters. Make phone calls. Send emails.
Support community organizations like Shelter Friends of Dane County in their private fundraising efforts—but don't let that excuse inadequate public investment.
We Are What We Do in This Moment!
Every generation faces moments that define who they are. Moments when the easy path is to blame someone else, to say "not my problem," to protect our own interests at the expense of the common good. This is one of those moments.
We built the Bartillion shelter because we believed in something bigger than ourselves. We believed that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and a path to stability. We believed that we're all better off when we take care of each other.
Now we have to finish what we started. The City of Madison has done our part—and then some. We've committed unprecedented resources because we believe in the power of local action, especially in times when larger systems are failing us.
Now it's time for Dane County to match our commitment. Not because it's easy. Not because the budget makes it simple. But because it's right. Because it's what this moment demands of us. Because this is who we choose to be.

What we do next will echo for years to come. Let's make sure it's something we're proud of.