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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION REGARDING COOK COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICES GRANTEE AUTHORIZATIONS UNDER THE PREVENTION, ASSISTANCE, AND TRANSITION TO HOUSING OPEN CALL PROCESS
WHEREAS, the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development (BED) seeks to enhance quality of life through equitable community and economic development, including initiatives designed to transform the County’s homeless services to achieve housing security for our most vulnerable residents; and
WHEREAS, since 2020, BED has supported the Hotel-Based Sheltering Program, through which suburban shelter services agencies have provided safe and dignified non-congregate sheltering, meals, and case management services while working to connect residents and families to permanent housing options; and
WHEREAS, since 2023, BED has supported the development of three new fixed-site shelter locations providing much-needed shelter capacity in suburban Cook County; and
WHEREAS, through the Hotel-Based and Fixed-Site shelter programs, from April 2022 through November 2025, Cook County has created 450 new shelter beds, provided over 400,000 shelter nights to over 3,400 people, and since program launch 68% of individuals have exited for a stable housing solution or similar level of care; and
WHEREAS, in 2026, the Cook County Board allocated funding via BED to support a Problem Solving Fund in suburban Cook County to provide creative, flexible, and cost-effective solutions to quickly resolve an individual or family’s housing crisis; and
WHEREAS, through the Problem Solving Fund, Cook County has provided homeless prevention assistance to 212 households, and provided shelter diversion and case management services to 1,189 individuals; and
WHEREAS, BED desires to continue the implementation of these critical homeless services and conducted a competitive Open Call process for the Cook County Prevention, Assistance and Transition to Housing (PATH) Program - including eligibility screening, scoring based on published criteria, review panel evaluation, and administrative review -to identify organizations best suited to provide the needed services; and
WHEREAS, BED recommends funding twelve (12) agencies under the PATH Program based on organizational expertise, capacity, geographic reach, and commitment to partnering with the suburban Cook County Continuum of Care and serving vulnerable residents facing housing instability; and
WHEREAS, the FY2027 BED budget, subject to Cook County Board approval, includes $6,435,250 to support homeless services in suburban Cook County for a performance period beginning December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2027; and
WHEREAS, BED will provide monitoring, performance management, financial review, and compliance reporting for the homeless service agencies funded under the PATH Program throughout the duration of the performance period; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby approves and authorizes BED to enter into grant agreements with the following organizations at the funding levels noted below and in an aggregate amount of up to $6,435,250 to continue implementation of critical homeless services during FY2027 to assist residents that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and subject to availability of future funding and satisfactory performance, BED may renew the grant agreements for FY2028:
• BEDS Plus, Inc. - up to $590,000
• Connections for the Homeless - up to $765,000
• Crisis Center for South Suburbia - up to $280,000
• Housing Forward - up to $575,000
• JOURNEYS - up to $650,000
• Northwest Compass, Inc. - up to $275,000
• Proactive Community Services - up to $300,000
• Respond Now - up to $210,000
• Sarah’s Inn - up to $90,000
• South Suburban Council on Homelessness - up to $1,608,750
• South Suburban PADS - up to $935,000
• United Way of Metro Chicago - up to $156,500; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Bureau Chief of BED or their designee to modify the agreements and funding allocations based upon need and utilization provided that increases in agreements are offset by decreases in other agreements and do not exceed the cumulative agreement values of $6,435,250; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be distributed to the participating organizations and relevant County offices as appropriate.
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