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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex Alexandrou, Chief Management Officer
Rick Veenstra, Corporation Counsel
Marty Lyons, Chief Financial Officer
DATE: October 9, 2020
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Approving A Grant Agreement With The County Of DuPage And The Acceptance Of $1,000,000.00 In CARES Act Funds To Be Disbursed To Public Action To Deliver Shelter, Inc., doing business as Hesed House, For Eligible COVID-19 Related-Expenses.
PURPOSE:
Staff has confirmed that the DuPage County Board will consider a resolution on Tuesday morning October 13, 2020 authorizing the expenditure of coronavirus relief fund grant to the City of Aurora and approval of an IGA with the City to administer grant funds on behalf of Hesed House for their warehouse renovation/winterization project in the amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000). This Council resolution is contingent on passage of their resolution and will also authorize any subsequent agreement necessary to ensure the appropriate disbursement of funding to Hesed House for timely completion of the warehouse renovation/winterization project and other CARES Act related eligible expenses.
BACKGROUND:
The City and the County of DuPage ("County") are desirous of providing financial support to Hesed House to assist it in safely and hygienically housing its homeless residents during the COVID-19/Coronavirus health emergency. As a result of the pandemic, Hesed House has expanded its operations to include a warehouse, where residents are able to be appropriately spaced in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among Hesed House residents, however the warehouse facilities are not winterized and require certain additional repairs and improvements to permit its year round operation. As a result, Hesed House may incur additional costs, including, but not limited to, the personnel, supplies or equipment necessary to operate the warehouse once renovated and winterized as a socially distant shelter for its residents. City staff on behalf of Hesed House sought CARES Act funding from DuPage County and as a result of collaboration and support of DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin, County Board Member Jim Healy, County Board and staff, DuPage County has offered to allocate one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of the funds available to it from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") to the City in the form a grant for the purpose of reimbursing Hesed House for eligible expenses incurred as a result of the Pandemic.
DISCUSSION:
Subject to City Council approval the City has agreed to accept the CARES Act grant from the County and administer and disburse the funds to Hesed House in accordance with the provisions of this resolution and the agreement attached as Exhibit A ("Grant Agreement") and the CARES Act.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Approval of this resolution will allow for much needed renovation and winterization of the warehouse facility of Hesed House before the end of the year and provide continued housing opportunities for homeless guests.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff requests the proposed resolution be adopted.
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution Approving A Grant Agreement With The County Of DuPage And The Acceptance Of $1,000,000.00 In CARES Act Funds To Be Disbursed To Public Action To Deliver Shelter, Inc., Doing Business As Hesed House, For Eligible COVID-19 Related-Expenses.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, Public Action to Deliver Shelter, Inc., doing business as Hesed House, (“Hesed House”) operates the second largest homeless shelter in the State of Illinois and the only facility of its kind in the western suburbs; and
WHEREAS, those in need of Hesed House’s services come from many locations in the Chicagoland area, including DuPage County; and
WHEREAS, the City and the County of DuPage ("County") are desirous of providing financial support to Hesed House to assist it in safely and hygienically housing its homeless residents during the COVID-19/Coronavirus health emergency ("Pandemic"), and
WHEREAS, Hesed House has expanded its operations to include a warehouse, where residents are able to be appropriately spaced in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among Hesed House residents, and
WHEREAS, the warehouse facilities are not winterized and require certain additional repairs and improvements to permit its year round operation, and
WHEREAS, Hesed House will incur additional costs, including, but not limited to, the personnel, supplies or equipment necessary to operate the warehouse as a socially distant shelter for its residents, and
WHEREAS, the County has offered to allocate one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of the funds available to it from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") to the City in the form a grant for the purpose of reimbursing Hesed House for eligible expenses incurred as a result of the Pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the City has agreed to accept the CARES Act grant from the County and administer and disburse the funds to Hesed House in accordance with the provisions of the agreement attached to this resolution as Exhibit A ("Grant Agreement") and the CARES Act;)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the Grant Agreement attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A shall be and hereby is approved; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor shall be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to execute the Grant Agreement on behalf of the City in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor shall be and hereby is authorized to execute on behalf of the City any agreement between the City and Hesed House reasonably necessary to disburse the CARES Act funds to Hesed House for its COVID-19-related expenses and to account for their use in the manner contemplated by the Grant Agreement and authorized by the CARES Act; and further
BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Treasurer shall be and hereby is authorized and directed to disburse the CARES Act funds to Hesed House in accordance with the Grant Agreement and any agreement between the City and Hesed House contemplated by this Resolution or reasonably required to carry its purposes into execution.