WHEREAS, Pittsfield Township entered into an agreement with Washtenaw County, in June 2011, to make Morris Hall, within the Township’s Administration Building, available as an Emergency Reception Center in case of events such as the pandemic our community is currently experiencing and the Board of Trustees remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community during times of crises; and

WHEREAS, The Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees, at their September 25, 2019 meeting, made a commitment to direct $25,000/year to Washtenaw County’s Barrier Busters program and to Washtenaw Housing Alliance’s Risk Mitigation Fund in order to increase access to affordable housing in our community and region; and

WHEREAS, With the aggressive spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that is wreaking havoc in our region, state, and country it is the most vulnerable members of our community that are most negatively impacted; and

WHEREAS, The Supervisor’s Office has been coordinating outreach efforts to our most vulnerable, socio-economically and demographically challenged community members, both internally within our organization and externally with, among others, the Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development; and

WHEREAS, The regional, county-wide effort is providing for increased housing units, public transportation, and meals which are desperately needed by many in our community; and

WHEREAS, We would like to increase our $25,000/year annual contribution by another $25,000 for FY 2020 in order to assist both the Washtenaw County’s Barrier Busters program and the Washtenaw Housing Alliance’s Risk Mitigation Fund address housing access and affordability issues, within Pittsfield Township and Washtenaw County, both immediately and over the course of the year as we work toward protecting our vulnerable community members from the longer-term ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Pittsfield Charter Township Board of Trustees, hereby authorizes an additional $25,000 payment from the Pittsfield Township contingency fund #101-998-988, to be split 50-50 between the Washtenaw County’s Barrier Busters program and the Washtenaw Housing Alliance’s Risk Mitigation Fund, as we continue finding innovative and timely solutions to assist low income and vulnerable Pittsfield Township/Washtenaw County residents avoid homelessness and increase their access to affordable housing options.