Bloomington allocates final $175,000 in federal homelessness funds
The Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority unanimously approved spending the last of its federal pandemic relief money on three local organizations that provide homelessness services. The decision came after a commissioner raised questions about how the city vets organizations receiving public funds.
On December 10, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to distribute $175,000 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds—federal money allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic—to combat homelessness in Bloomington. The three selected organizations are Oasis for Youth, Home Line, and Touchstone Mental Health Services. Two will receive their full funding requests, while one will receive 85% of what it requested.
The deadline to commit these funds is the end of 2024, with all money needing to be spent by June 2025. This represents the final portion of a larger $500,000 allocation the city received. Staff said they selected the organizations through a formal request-for-proposal process that drew three applications.
Commissioner Mueller pressed staff on the vetting process before voting, citing recent high-profile fraud cases involving nonprofits. "Can you share a little bit about how we review RFP and what we did to vet the organizations to ensure the funds will be used properly?" Mueller asked. Staff responded that the city has "pretty robust" monitoring systems in place and emphasized that the selected providers have established reputations. They also noted that the city works with the attorney's office to ensure compliance with contracting laws.
The unanimous approval—with Commissioner Musa making the motion and Commissioner Mueller seconding it—signals the board's confidence in both the organizations and the city's oversight mechanisms. The decision moves forward efforts to address homelessness in Bloomington through prevention and response services.
Our proprietary artificial intelligence agent analyzed publicly available documents including meeting agendas, minutes, and transcripts to write this story to help inform local residents. Feedback helps us improve, so please consider rating how we did with the thumbs up or down below.
Go deeper on this topic
Research related meeting documents and build a brief — without rewriting the story.
Full analysis
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Homelessness Response and Prevention Services Agreements
Dissent: None
Moved by Commissioner Musa [6:30] · Seconded by Commissioner Mueller [6:31]
Staff presented a recommendation to allocate the remaining $175,000 of ARPA funds. These funds, part of a larger $500,000 allocation, must be committed by year-end 2024 and spent by June 2025, with a possible three-month extension. The recommendation was to fund three community organizations: Oasis for Youth, Home Line, and Touchstone Mental Health Services, with two at full request and one at 85%. Commissioner Mueller raised concerns regarding the vetting process for organizations, referencing recent high-profile fraud cases. Staff reassured the board about the robust, standardized RFP and contracting processes, emphasizing the known reputation of the selected providers and the city's monitoring systems.
There's a remaining $175,000 to commit yet this year these contracts do need to be executed by the end of 2024 and so we have staffers according to an RFP process and received three applications.
CAN YOU START TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE REVIEW RFP AND WHAT WE DID TO VET THE ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THE FUNDS WILL BE USED PROPERLY AND WE'LL BE SUPPORTING RESIDENTS IN BLOOMINGTON
BUT I THINK OUR SYSTEMS ARE PRETTY ROBUST HERE TO MONITOR THAT AND IT'S A FOCUS OF OUR NEW STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WE'RE FOLLOWING OTHER CONTRACTING LAWS AND WORKING WITH THE ALL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON.
Source document
[0:32] .
[0:32] GOOD EVENING AND LATE TO CALL
[0:36] THE TUESDAY DECEMBER 10TH,
[0:37] 2020 FOR HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT
[0:39] AUTHORITY MEANING TO ORDER FOR
[0:40] THIS MEETING IT WILL BE HELD
[0:44] IN PERSON AND ONLINE PEOPLE
[0:45] MAY PARTICIPATE ELECTRONICALLY
[0:48] AS PERMITTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE
[0:48] STATUTES.
[0:49] SO FOR THIS MEETING H.R.
[0:49] COMMISSIONER WOOTEN WILL BE
[0:52] PARTICIPATING REMOTELY
[0:52] THEREFORE THEREFORE WE WILL
[0:56] NEED TO TAKE ROLL CALL VOTES
[0:56] AND ACTIONS.
[0:57] SO TO BEGIN THIS MEETING CAN
[0:59] WE DO A ROLL CALL FOR
[1:00] ATTENDANCE PLEASE HEAR I CAN
[1:10] UNDERSTAND YOUR INPUT JUST
[1:14] HERE WHAT YOUR
[1:25] HERE?
[1:27] HERE WE DO HAVE A QUORUM
[1:29] MOVING ON WILL BE LOOKING FOR
[1:30] AN APPROVAL OF THE EVENING'S
[1:31] ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR
[1:32] CORRECTIONS TO THIS EVENING'S
[1:33] AGENDA HEARING NONE.
[1:36] WE'D BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION
[1:37] TO APPROVE THE TUESDAY
[1:39] DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 AGENDA SO
[1:40] MOVED IS A MOTION BY
[1:44] COMMISSIONER MILLER AND A
[1:45] SECOND BY COMMISSIONER
[1:45] DOLLINGER TO THE AGENDA MAY WE
[1:47] HAVE ARE THERE IS THERE ANY
[1:48] DISCUSSION HEARING NO
[1:51] DISCUSSION MAY WE HAVE THE
[1:52] ROLL CALL VOTE I HEY I
[2:04] COMMISSIONER WOOTEN I HEAR ME
[2:08] YES YOU HEAR ME I I AGAIN I
[2:22] MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS I'M
[2:26] 6.1 AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT
[2:30] AARP HOMELESS RPONSE
[2:30] HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND
[2:34] PREVENTION SERVICES AGREEMENTS
[2:35] MAY WE HAVE THE STAFF REPORT?
[2:37] YES.
[2:37] THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT
[2:38] CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS IS
[2:39] RELATED TO THE REMAINING ARPA
[2:41] FUNDING THAT THE HRA WAS ASKED
[2:45] TO ALLOCATE OUT INTO COMMUNITY
[2:48] .
[2:48] THE HRA HAS ALREADY ALLOCATED
[2:51] MOST OF THE $500,000 AND THOSE
[2:52] FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT THERE'S
[2:54] A REMAINING $175,000 TO COMMIT
[2:55] YET THIS YEAR THESE CONTRACTS
[2:58] DO NEED TO BE EXECUTED BY THE
[2:59] END OF 2024 AND SO WE HAVE
[3:02] STAFFERS ACCORDING TO AN RFP
[3:02] PROCESS AND RECEIVED THREE
[3:06] APPLICATIONS.
[3:06] I RECEIVED THREE PROPOSALS
[3:08] FROM VARIOUS HOMELESS RESPONSE
[3:09] AND PREVENTION SERVICES
[3:12] ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE
[3:13] COMMUNITY LOCAL HERE THE
[3:15] RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU IS
[3:16] TO FUND TWO OF THOSE
[3:16] APPLICATIONS AT FULL REQUEST
[3:20] AND THE THIRD ONE OUT 85%
[3:22] OF THE REQUEST AND THOSE
[3:23] CONTRACTORS WOULD BE MOVING
[3:26] AHEAD IMMEDIATELY HERE FOR
[3:27] SIGNATURE BEFORE THE END
[3:28] OF THE YEAR AND THEY WOULD
[3:28] HAVE UNTIL JUNE OF 2025 TO
[3:30] SPEND THESE DOLLARS WITH THE
[3:30] OPTION TO EXPAND EXTEND THOSE
[3:33] CONTRACTS BY THREE MONTHS
[3:34] IN ORDER TO MEET THE TOTAL
[3:37] SPENDING DEADLINE TO END
[3:38] OF 2025.
[3:38] SO THAT'S THE ACTION BEFORE
[3:41] TONIGHT.
[3:41] LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY
[3:42] QUESTIONS.
[3:43] WE ALSO HAVE STAFF THAT WERE
[3:43] PART OF RFP PROCESS HERE TO
[3:45] ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE
[3:45] ANY QUESTIONS.
[3:48] THANK YOU.
[3:48] ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS
[3:51] COMMISSIONER?
[3:56] DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THIS
[3:57] EVENING?
[3:57] OH NO I WOULD TO ACCEPT HAVING
[4:02] A HEARING.
[4:02] NO QUESTIONS.
[4:02] WE'LL BE LOOKING A MOTION TO
[4:06] APPROVE A RESOLUTION 2024 DASH
[4:08] 27 AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ENTER
[4:09] INTO SERVICE AGREEMENTS
[4:10] BETWEEN OASIS FOR YOUTH HOME
[4:12] LINE AND TOUCHSTONE MENTAL
[4:13] HEALTH SERVICES AND THE
[4:17] HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT
[4:17] AUTHORITY AND FOR THE CITY
[4:18] OF BLOOMINGTON FOR
[4:18] HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND
[4:21] PREVENTION SERVICES.
[4:21] SORRY, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
[4:22] OH, OKAY.
[4:25] COMMISSIONER MUELLER THANK YOU
[4:28] CHAIR SO WE SENT OUR RFP WAS
[4:32] GIVEN THE HIGH PROFILE CASE
[4:33] THAT'S GOING ON IN MINNESOTA
[4:35] REGARDING AMERICAN RESCUE ACT
[4:36] FUNDS RIGHT NOW.
[4:40] CAN YOU START TO SHARE A
[4:41] LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE REVIEW
[4:43] RFP AND WHAT WE DID TO VET THE
[4:44] ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THE
[4:47] FUNDS WILL BE USED PROPERLY
[4:48] AND WE'LL BE SUPPORTING
[4:49] RESIDENTS IN BLOOMINGTON I'M
[4:50] CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER WHAT I
[4:56] WOULD SAY IS THAT WE'LL BE
[4:57] FOLLOWING OUR STANDARD
[4:57] CONTRACTING PROCESSES.
[5:00] THE RFP PROCESS WAS ALSO OUR
[5:01] STANDARDIZED PROCESS.
[5:03] THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS
[5:04] THAT TALK ABOUT THE QUALITIES
[5:05] OF THEIR ORGANIZATION.
[5:05] THEY'RE SCORED BY BOTH ON, YOU
[5:07] KNOW, EXPERIENCE AND
[5:07] REPUTATION AS WELL AS THE
[5:08] PROPOSAL FOR THE SERVICES
[5:10] THEY'RE GOING TO DELIVER.
[5:11] ALL THREE OF THESE
[5:12] ORGANIZATIONS ARE KNOWN
[5:13] COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HERE
[5:14] SO THEY HAVE A REPUTATION TOO
[5:15] THAT'S FACTORED DETERMINING
[5:18] THE AWARD.
[5:18] BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE
[5:19] SECURITY REALLY THE
[5:22] CONTRACTING WHERE WE ENSURE
[5:22] THAT THEY PROVIDE PROPER
[5:23] DOCUMENTATION BOTH AT THE
[5:26] BEGINNING AND THROUGH THE
[5:26] PROCESS.
[5:27] SO I THINK I'M NOT FAMILIAR
[5:30] WITH AN AIRPLANE BUT I KNOW
[5:33] THERE'S BEEN SOME FRAUDULENT
[5:34] FEDERAL USE OF DOLLARS.
[5:37] THAT'S ALWAYS A RISK OF COURSE
[5:38] WHEN WE'RE GRANTING DOLLARS OR
[5:38] CONTRACTING WITH VENDORS.
[5:41] BUT I THINK OUR SYSTEMS ARE
[5:42] PRETTY ROBUST HERE TO MONITOR
[5:45] THAT AND IT'S A FOCUS OF OUR
[5:46] NEW STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
[5:49] FOLLOWING OTHER CONTRACTING
[5:50] LAWS AND WORKING WITH THE ALL
[5:51] TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON.
[5:52] THANK YOU.
[5:52] ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT ALL
[5:56] THREE OF THESE HAVE HAVE BEEN
[5:56] PROVIDERS IN THE AREA FOR A
[5:57] LONG TIME.
[6:00] I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
[6:01] THANK YOU.
[6:03] ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
[6:07] ?
[6:08] OKAY, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
[6:08] I'D BE HAPPY TO MOVE THIS.
[6:09] OKAY.
[6:11] SO I MOVE TO APPROVE
[6:12] RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING STAFF
[6:14] TO ENTER INTO SERVICES
[6:15] AGREEMENTS BETWEEN OASIS FOR
[6:16] YOUTH HOME LINE AND TOUCHSTONE
[6:19] MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND THE
[6:19] HOUSING AND AND REDEVELOPMENT
[6:22] AUTHORITY IN AND FOR THE CITY
[6:23] OF BLOOMINGTON FOR A
[6:23] HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND
[6:25] PREVENTION SERVICES WE HAVE A
[6:30] MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MUSA
[6:30] SECOND AND A SECOND BY
[6:31] COMMISSIONER MUELLER.
[6:33] IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION I I I
[6:44] I I I WONDER IF MOVING ON TO
[6:51] DISCUSSION ITEMS ITEM SEVEN
[6:54] ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION ITEMS
[6:55] THIS EVENING OR UPDATES?
[7:00] SHARON COMMISSIONERS JUST A
[7:01] FEW UPDATES FROM ADMINISTRA
[7:04] LEADER ABE WHO WASN'T ABLE TO
[7:05] BE HERE TODAY.
[7:06] YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
[7:09] MIKE PRO-MARRIAGE ON OUR
[7:10] ALTERNATE.
[7:13] HE WILL BE FORMALLY INTRODUCED
[7:14] TO YOU NEXT TIME SARAH IS ABLE
[7:15] TO DO THAT INTRODUCTION AS
[7:16] HE'S ONE OF YOUR NEW ASSISTANT
[7:17] ADMINISTRATORS AS OF THIS WEEK
[7:19] AND THEN ALSO JUST A REMINDER
[7:20] THAT THE DEC 17TH MEETING IS
[7:23] YOUR STANDARD MEETING NEXT
[7:24] WEEK.
[7:28] SO NEXT WEEK ALREADY.
[7:29] YES AND IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
[7:30] A JOINT COMMISSION MEETING.
[7:31] SO YOU GET TO MEET ALL THE
[7:33] BODIES OF THE CITY TWO WEEK
[7:33] PERIOD.
[7:38] JONATHAN, IS THERE ANY OTHER
[7:39] DISCUSSION UPDATES SEEING
[7:42] NONE.
[7:42] WE'D BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION
[7:45] TO ADJOURN THE TUESDAY
[7:46] DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 A MEETING
[7:50] SO MOVED THE MOTION BY
[7:51] COMMISSIONER DOUBLING HERE AND
[7:52] A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER
[7:53] MUELLER IS THERE ANY
[7:54] DISCUSSION HEARING NONE MAY WE
[7:57] HAVE THE ROLL CALL VOTE I I I
[8:00] I I I WE ARE ADJOURNED
Was this story helpful?
Want to know when new stories arrive?
Enter your email to receive updates.
We will not use your email for any other purpose. You can unsubscribe at any time.