The Community Development Division is requesting approval to accept donations from the Home Builders Association (HBA) and the Downtown Exchange Club on behalf of the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness.The HBA Board of Directors voted to donate $1,500 to the Mayor’s Committee on Homeless in support of the Committee’s mission to partner with local organizations and community members in pursuit of impacting and ending homelessness in the Billings community. The HBA Board of Directors requested that the funds be utilized in programs and / or initiatives that impact the needs of those experiencing homelessness. The Downtown Exchange Club donated $500 to the support the Box Mural Calendar project. 

The Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness was approved through resolution by the City Council on April 24, 2006.  Twenty members were appointed by the Mayor and the City Council and the Committee has been meeting since June 2006.  Welcome Home Billings, the City’s ten-year plan to impact homelessness was adopted by the City Council in October 2009. To date over 50 local organizations and 600 individuals have been collectively working on implementing the plan to impact homelessness through programs and / or initiatives supported by the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness.  

Community Development Division staff would administer the accounts and funding would be managed on a pass-through basis.  As requested, funding will be utilized for programs and / or initiatives that impact the needs of those experiencing homelessness which include events, educational forums, public awareness campaigns, the Box  Mural Calendar Project and / or direct service impact.

Alternatives analyzed include either accepting the donations or not accepting the donations.  If unable to accept the donations, the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness would not be able to utilize funding in support of their efforts to impact homelessness by partnering with organizations and individuals.

The City is not required to match these donations.

Staff recommends that the City Council accept donations of $1,500 from the Home Builders Association and $500 from the Downtown Exchange Club on behalf of the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness.