DEPARTMENT: Social Services
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute Contract With 360 Communities For Dakota County Housing Clinic Housing Support Workers
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Dakota County Social Services staff, Dakota County Courts and partners have collaborated to create an eviction court clinic called the Dakota County Housing Clinic (DCHC); and
WHEREAS, the DCHC is a voluntary program that offers support, including legal assistance, financial assistance, and access to housing support services, to tenants at the first appearance for eviction cases; and
WHEREAS, housing support workers are present at court hearings scheduled three days per week; and
WHEREAS, these positions work with the courts, do pre-court outreach to tenants, connect tenants to resources and services, provide support for applications for federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA), Emergency Assistance and Emergency General Assistance funds, and assist with communication and coordination between tenants, landlords and courts; and
WHEREAS, on August 1, 2021, Dakota County entered into a contract with 360 Communities to begin this work for $99,000 for the period of August 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution 21-415 (August 24, 2021), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized an amendment to add an additional $56,000 for additional services in the same contract period, for a total not to exceed contract amount of $155,000 effective upon execution which was fully funded with Emergency Rental Assistance funds for Housing Stability Services, including court coordination services; and
WHEREAS, with the passage of the Eviction Moratorium Off-Ramp legislation, the DCHC planning committee anticipated a high volume of evictions to be filed and a high volume of cases to flow through eviction court; and
WHEREAS, to accommodate this work, Social Services proposed to add three additional Housing Support Worker positions to DCHC v...
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