Submitted By
Kira Tchang, Assistant Village Manager/HR Director
Reviewed By
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Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving a Funding Grant Agreement between Oak Park River Forest Community of Congregations and the Village of Oak Park to Fund a Short-Term Resettlement Program for Asylum Seekers Residing in the Village's Temporary Shelter Program and Authorizing its Execution
End
Overview
Overview
The Village of Oak Park received $1,944,000 in grant funds from the Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus to provide services to asylum seekers in the community. Of those funds, $300,000 have been designated to provide short-term rental assistance to asylum seekers. The Community of Congregations serves as the fiscal agent of a volunteer-run mutual aid effort that supports the resettlement of asylum seekers in Oak Park's temporary shelter program. The Village's temporary program is scheduled to end on February 29, 2024 and as of February 9, 2024 there are 132 asylum seekers still in the program.
Body
Staff Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution.
Fiscal Impact
The $300,000 in funding is provided through the Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services (SMASS) Grant through the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.
Background
On January 23, 2024, the Village Board adopted a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus for Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services (SMASS) with a requested funding amount of $1,944,000. The grant proposal included four elements: 1) $1,244,000 in funding for an area nonprofit to operate a temporary shelter for a four-month period, 2) $360,000 in funding for legal services for asylum seekers, 3) $300,000 in funding for short-term rental assistance for asylum seekers, and 4) $40,000 for administrative expenses.
On February 2, 2024, the Village was notified that the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus had approved the total funding request of $1,944,000.
Staff recomm...
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