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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Julie Frankino, Grant Writer
Chris Ragona, Community Development Manager
DATE: June 11, 2024
SUBJECT:
A resolution seeking City Council authorization to apply for the state of Illinois Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Urban Shelter Program grant in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 for renovations to expand the domestic violence shelter capacity of Mutual Ground.
PURPOSE:
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has issued a notice of funding opportunity to fund construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of property for Homeless Shelters (as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including shelters for domestic violence victims, dedicated to the provision of stable, safe and adequate housing with a goal of increasing capacity to pre-COVID levels. Only units of local government in areas receiving direct entitlement CDBG funding from HUD are eligible to apply for the CDBG-CV Urban Shelter Program.
BACKGROUND:
Mutual Ground has been providing critical services for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and substance use for nearly 50 years in the City of Aurora. The need for domestic and sexual violence direct services has increased post-COVID. Clients are arriving at Mutual Ground with extremely complex situations which require additional counseling, advocacy and shelter. The emergency shelter is presently housed in a historic mansion built in 1853 that requires extensive updates, repairs and reconfigurations to be able to provide access shelter to more victims of domestic and sexual violence along with space to accommodate additional staff. Upon completion of the proposed project at Mutual Ground, there will be an immediate benefit to those served, as capacity in the emergency shelter will increase to 45 beds providing 16,425 available nights of stay. Pre-COVID and during COVID (July 2019 - June 2020), Mutual Gro...
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