D6 Items of Interest Week of January 29, 2024
postedFinance has several contracts on Monday's agenda relating to affordable housing and energy efficiency, youth homeless services, reallocating available federal COVID funds for rental assistance, and accepting County funds for Dairy Drive (the homeless campground).
The Transportation Commission meets Wednesday and takes up the first round of discussion on the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan. There will also be a discussion about the conflict between the Complete Green Streets policy and the Fire Code.
The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs starts a community engagement process around F35s and community concerns with three in person meetings from Thursday through Saturday February 1-3. The WDMA is implementing a Department of Defense grant secured by Senator Tammy Baldwin to conduct community outreach and gather feedback. Community Listening Sessions. More details below.
Last week, the Council could not get the required 15 votes for any change to alder salaries. Amendments were made to the original motion of $22.38/hour - for $20/hr, $17.80/hr and $15.87hr but none of them got the required number of votes. I supported $17.80 and $15.87/hr which I felt were modest increases. Currently the base pay for alders is $13.98/hr.
Monday January 29 – Finance Committee- 4:30p Finance Agenda 01.29.24
6. 81566 Authorizing a non-competitive service contract with Sustain Dane through 2026 to administer the Efficiency Navigator Program to provide energy efficiency upgrades to naturally occurring affordable housing.
In March of 2017, the Common Council adopted RES-17-00213 which called on the City to establish a goal for City of Madison operations and community to reach a goal of 100% renewable energy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Previously, the City of Madison applied for and was awarded a grant through the WI‐Public Service Commission ‐ Office of Energy Innovation for the project "Energy Efficiency in Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (EENOAH)." The City has contracted with Sustain Dane to administer the Efficiency Navigator program since 2021, in partnership with Elevate and the Northside Planning Council.
The Efficiency Navigator Program provides energy efficiency and other upgrades to small- and medium-sized multifamily affordable housing that save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower utility bills for residents. The Efficiency Navigator program has provided energy efficiency upgrades to 88 units of natural occurring affordable housing in its first year, reducing annual energy costs by $657 per building on average, and cutting climate pollution by nearly 92,000 lbs/year.
8. 81621 Authorizing the process to select a public art feature for the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park and authority to transfer of $25,000 in Percent for Art Funds from the Metro Transit Satellite Facility to the Imagination Center (District 12 and District 17)
The proposed resolution authorizes the transfer of the $25,000 Percent for Art allocation for the Metro Transit Facility (Munis project #10950) to the Reindahl Imagination Center/Library project (Munis project #17085). This transfer would bring the total available Percent for Art allocation for the Reindahl Imagination Center/Library project to $111,704. The proposed resolution further authorizes City staff to release a call for artist submissions for a public art piece for the Reindahl Imagination Center/Library project and for the Madison Arts Commission (MAC) to select three finalists from the submissions. The finalists will receive an honorarium in the amount of $1,500 each to be paid from the Percent for Art allocation. No additional City appropriation required.
9. 81625 Authorizing amendments to Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) funded contracts with Urban Triage, Inc. and LGBT Outreach, Inc. on behalf of the Madison/Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC), authorizing an amendment with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to extend the YHDP grant’s performance period, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute new Purchase of Service agreements for services performed between January 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025.
Background: The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program is an initiative developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness -- both unaccompanied minors and youth ages 18-24 -- in communities across the nation. On May 24, 2021, HUD released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO #FR-6400-N-35), announcing its FY20 YHDP grant award competition. The Madison/Dane County Continuum of Care (CoC) applied for the grant, with the City of Madison serving as the Collaborative Applicant and Briarpatch Youth Services, Inc. as the Lead Agency, and was awarded $2,293,291. The CoC's Youth Action Board (YAB) later requested, and the CoC approved at its June 21, 2022 board meeting, a change in YHDP Lead Agency designation from Briarpatch to the City of Madison for the purposes of managing the FY20 YHDP grant funds. This requested change was subsequently approved by the Common Council on August 2, 2022 (RES-22-00565, Legistar #72663).
After contract execution the YAB and community partners proposed changes to the program model for Transitional Housing. Those changes required a grant amendment with HUD prior to enrolling clients. Additionally, one of the providers operating the housing program ended its contract due to capacity issues. Consequently, nearly $830,000 of YHDP funds were not spent in the grant’s first year (2023), nearly $170,000 to be used in the System Navigation Program (SSO) Grant, and nearly $670,00 from the Transitional Housing-Rapid Rehousing Grant. The YAB and HSC Board of Directors, on January 3, 2024, approved a plan to reallocate underspent funds to LGBT Outreach and Urban Triage.
This Resolution authorizes the City of Madison, as YHDP Lead Agency, to amend the 2024 budget for these two YHDP grants, to reflect those reallocations. The contract with LGBT Outreach Inc. for 2024 will increase its grant from $144,880 to $314,880 and amend the scope of services to transfer responsibility of creating a YHDP funded Youth Drop-In Center to Outreach. The contract with Urban Triage Inc. for 2024 Transitional Housing/Rapid ReHousing services will increase from $517,356 to $562,356 to support start up costs for the program. The YAB and HSC Board will issue a Request for Proposals in 2024 to solicit community partners to allocate the remaining Transitional Housing/Rapid Re-Housing funds. The outcome of that RFP process must be approved by HSC Board of Directors and then receive authorization from the Madison Common Council prior to executing contracts.
In addition, the original performance period for the FY20 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) grant funds began on December 1, 2022 and was to end November 30, 2024. However, HUD has granted an extension of the performance period for FY20 YHDP grant funds to February 28, 2025 and that change will be made as well.
10. 81628 SUBSTITUTE Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute contract amendments, utilizing federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds awarded by the U.S. Treasury Department and authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to the African Center for Community Development; Meadowood Neighborhood Association/Meadowood Health Partnership; Nehemiah Community Development Corporation, with FOSTER of Dane County; and Tenant Resource Center to sustain efforts to prevent evictions and promote housing stability for eligible households in Dane County. (Citywide)
Background: On December 21, 2020, Congress enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133, Public Law 116-260, a/k/a "COVID Relief Act"), which included $25 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding ("ERA1") to be distributed by the U.S. Treasury Department to state and local governments for use in preventing evictions and promoting housing stability among households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this Act, the City of Madison received a direct ERA1 allocation of nearly $7.8 million (RES-21-00042, Legistar #63792) and a pass-thru ERA1 allocation, via the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing & Community Resources, of roughly $25.2 million (RES-21-00371, Legistar #65271; and RES-21-00557, Legistar #66681).
On March 10, 2021, Congress enacted the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319, Public Law 117-2), which provided additional funding to respond to multiple areas of need created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This Act (also known as "ARPA") included an additional $21.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding ("ERA2") to be distributed to state and local governments as supplemental support for their ongoing eviction prevention and housing stability efforts. The City of Madison received a direct ERA2 allocation of just over $6.1 million and a subsequent re-allocation of approximately $39.2 million.
Together, these federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds-both ERA1 and ERA2-have been used in collaboration with similar allocations received by Dane County to support a local rental assistance program known as Dane CORE to provide direct assistance to eligible applicants, and associated housing stability services, through vendor contracts with local community organizations, as approved via Legistar files #63792 and #66702. The Dane CORE Program (both City and County) has ended, however, ERA2 funds continue to support the Eviction Diversion and Defense Partnership (EDDP) operated through the Tenant Resource Center, which facilitates mediation, legal representation, and rental assistance payments for households with an eviction filing. They also continue to support ongoing work by community organizations selected via RES-21-00612 (Legistar #66702) to provide housing navigation and case management support to residents in need of housing stability services.
The continued use of Emergency Rental Assistance funding was authorized as part of the City’s Adopted 2024 Operating Budget, however, the authority to extend the contracts with the community partners was not. This resolution seeks authority to extend the contracts through December 31, 2024, using ERA2 funding, with the African Center for Community Development ($165,799); Meadowood Neighborhood Association/Meadowood Health Partnership ($78,066); and Nehemiah Community Development Corporation, with FOSTER of Dane County ($92,700) to sustain housing stability services.
The Eviction Diversion and Defense Partnership (EDDP), supported with City- and County-administered ERA funds, has proven to be an invaluable resource in helping renter households who face eviction actions. Up to $12 8 million of City-administered funds are authorized to support EDDP for the period of January 1, 2024- September 30, 2025. However, the rise in eviction filings, and the accompanying increased need by households facing eviction for case management support and direct financial assistance suggest that additional funding for EDDP is needed. In response, this resolution seeks authorization both to extend the contract with Tenant Resource Center to continue the EDDP Program and to use available ERA2 dollars to increase funding for the program by $2.8 7 million, to $14.8 15 million.
12. 81622 Accepting $400,000 from Dane County, authorized in the County’s 2024 Adopted Budget to support the Dairy Drive urban campground, amending the Community Development Division’s 2024 Operating Budget to reflect receipt of those funds, authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract with Dane County, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract with MACH OneHealth to use these funds to support the Dairy Drive campground, to supplement City-administered American Rescue Plan Act funds previously allocated to the campground and other funding secured by MACH OneHealth from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (District 16)
Background: In 2021, the City established an urban campground on City-owned property, 3202 Dairy Drive, in response to the state of emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of adequate accommodations for unsheltered homeless persons in the Madison. The Dairy Drive urban campground is set up as a State licensed campground and is equipped with 29 climate-controlled Pallet Shelter units with electrical service, bathroom and shower facilities and staff office space.
The site serves people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the City of Madison. Participants are prioritized based on their placement in the Coordinated Entry housing priority list which considers the length of homelessness and vulnerability.
The Dairy Drive Urban Campground was supported through 2023 primarily with City-administered American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Act and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. However, a funding shortfall was expected in 2024. Wanting to support the continued operation of Dairy Drive in 2024, the Dane County Board of Supervisors included $400,000 in its budget to supplement City and HUD funds.
Wednesday January 31 – Transportation Commission – 5p TC Agenda 01.31.24
2.* 81590 Updating the Madison Engineering Division Street Naming Policy for New Streets and the Engineering Division Policy for Street Name Changes.
3.* 81632 Endorsing and Prioritizing Improvement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Connectivity as Part of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s I-39/90/94 Study and Reconstruction
4. 81515 Creating the City of Madison Honorary Street Name Program
Street Naming Changes presentation for regular and honorary street naming policy
5. 81653 Adopting the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan (District 4, District 13, District 14)
Lake Monona Waterfront Final Report
The report was introduced at the last Council meeting for referral to the following committees:
Transportation Commission (1/31/24), Madison Arts Commission (2/12/24), Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center (2/15/24), Urban Design Commission (2/28/24), Plan Commission (3/25/24), Board of Park Commissioners (4/3/24), and Common Council (4/16/24)
Following an extensive public engagement process, involving numerous stakeholder meetings and community events and the review of more than 1,500 survey responses and 4,000+ public comments, the Lake Monona Waterfront Ad Hoc Committee selected Sasaki to prepare the master plan.
Please keep following the master plan process, this is where the actual details will be decided.
Next Steps: The Sasaki team will complete a more detailed design study for Phase 1 of the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan, in coordination with the upcoming John Nolen Drive construction project in 2025, which encompasses the causeway and a section of Law Park.
The potential for future phases would follow if the master plan is approved and when resources are available and detailed studies are completed. As the master plan is implemented, further design development will be required.
From the report (pages 46-49): The first phase of master plan refinement is underway, which includes the more detailed design of bicycle, pedestrian, and shoreline improvements along the John Nolen Drive Causeway as well as the scenic underpass, multi-use paths, and park area of Lake Lounge Pier. This phase builds on the separate federally funded John Nolen Drive Reconstruction Project to ensure support through ongoing stakeholder engagement, funding, and permitting processes.
Future implementation and phasing will be dependent on the availability of public and private funds, permitting requirements of the projects, and the engagement of the various stakeholders specific to each area of the project. Special consideration should be given to project phasing so that the appropriate amenities and project features are implemented in a way that engages and maintains the interest of the community and stakeholders to ensure the continued success of the master plan implementation.
6. 81744 Vision Zero Annual Report
2020-2022 Vision Zero Progress Report and Appendix
7. 81745 Update on Metro Transit Fare Technology and Fare Collection Strategy
8. 81746 Update on Complete Green Streets Policy and Fire Lanes
Complete Green Streets Policy Conflicts with the Fire Code
“During meetings for some proposed development projects, a conflict was noted between maximum travel way width and minimum fire lane requirements, if parking is desired on both sides of the street. Specifically, the neighborhood street and neighborhood mixed use street types only allow for a maximum of 22’ travel way. If the development team proposes to use the street as a fire lane to meet desired densities, and the construction is over 30’ tall, minimum fire lane width is 26’. This can provide a conflict in approving the plat or conditional use development.”
The report has a list of possible solutions...
The Fire Department has a lot of authority under state law that affects new development.
Thursday February 1 - MPD Chief Shon Barnes 'State of Public Safety' - 11a Madison Municipal Building Room 215
Thursday February 1 – Community Listening Sessions – 6-7:30p Madison College 1705 Hoffman St
The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs is organizing a series of Community Listening Sessions on F35s taking place from February 1st - February 3rd. These sessions will address issues of concern and attendees will have the opportunity to meet with members of the 115th Fighter Wing. Registration is requested (in the link).
The WDMA has received a grant for community outreach and education. The grant has funded the Madison F35 Community Connection project which started in November 2023 and runs through April 2024 with a final community summit. WDMA has contracted with a consultant to facilitate the process. A website has been created www.MadisonF35.com with discussion boards and more to come.
Friday February 2 – Grand Opening of the Tenant Resource Center – 9a
The Tenant Resource Center is hosting a celebration of the grand opening of their new office on Friday, February 2, 2024 from 9am – 11am at 2510 Winnebago Street. Members of the Common Council have been invited to attend, and a possible quorum of the Common Council may exist at this event.
TRC is moving out of the Social Justice Center on Willy St and into a bigger space in the Carbon building at Union Corners.
Friday February 2 – Community Listening Sessions – 9-10:30a Madison College 1701 Wright St
Saturday February 3 – Community Listening Sessions – 9-10:30a Madison College 1701 Wright St
Alder Marsha A. Rummel
District 6
Contact Alder Rummel