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ACCEPTANCE OF AN EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $147,692 FROM THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO BE USED TO OPERATE A WARMING SHELTER DURING THE WINTER MONTHS FOR THE HOMELESS AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION R-2021-40 APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
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BACKGROUND: The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) received $5,743,528 of Emergency Solutions Grant - Corona Virus (ESG-CR) Funds as a result of the CARES Act. The City of Norman is not an Entitlement Community for ESG funding and all funding is passed thru the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to the seven rural Continuum's of Care. Oklahoma City and the City of Tulsa, as Entitlement Communities, receive a direct formula allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The ESG-CR funds were allocated to these seven rural Continuum of Care entities utilizing a formula which included the number of COVID-19 cases, the unemployment rate, the number of uninsured, as well as population. The Norman/Cleveland County Continuum of Care was allocated a total of $326,657.
Food and Shelter, Inc. and Thunderbird Clubhouse each successfully prepared applications and were awarded funds to assist their agencies in addressing the COVID-19 crisis. Their applications total $178,965 and are focused on operations and housing-based solutions. The City of Norman applied for the remaining $147,692 to be utilized for the operation of a Winter Warming Shelter and enhanced street outreach. The City of Norman was awarded the full amount requested; Contract K-2021-42 (17924 ESGCR 20), Part I and II details this award.
DISCUSSION: To address the potential spread of COVID-19 within the homeless community, as well as the larger Cleveland County population, the City of Norman is proposing to operate a Winter Warming Shelter from late October 2020 thru mid-March 2021. In addition to providing overnight respite to individuals who are street homeless, the Shelter will concentrate on social distancing, temper...
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