Comments on: Urban County: Nonprofit Funding Update

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:20:46 +0000

Thanks, Scratchinghead. My Lord entrusts me this job, and I need to respond HIS call. This proposal passed with so much community concerns, and even former commissioner Mark Quimet is United Way’s vice president. Lots of conflicts of interests here, and a folder was made and sent to our Governor. Let’s pray for justice, compassion, care for the needy communities who are suffering the coldness out there.

By: Scratchingmyhead

Scratchingmyhead — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:15:27 +0000

I think Lily AU makes an interesting case as for the allocation process involving in dispensing these funds. The staff who reviews these request are affiliated with their unit of government and in many instances the outcome for funding are predetermined, even though the process is suppose to be competitive. Larger non-profits with extensive political contacts are at an advantage. Organizations generally controlled by minorities (meaning African Americans) do not stand a chance of being funded. Staff is not going to go against the wishes of their employer when it comes time to making recommendations for who receives funding. Ms. Callan has a built in bias toward certain organizations. Keep up the advocacy Ms AU.

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:56:31 +0000

My comment written Feb 2, 4:17 pm could not come out. It might be related with technical issue of a link. Please check October 2010, chronicle’s article about “Coordinated funding planned”

“Callon noted that it would be similar to what currently happens. The OCD staff makes recommendations, which are then voted on by the Urban County Executive Committee.”

The “Reviewing Committee” didn’t appear in October’s article, only popping up in this one. We still have the issue of “Recommendations” are from very limited hands, from OCD people. Can their boss influence the recommendations?

Does money go escrow account? Or go United Way? United Way’s 990 Form is blurry online. It would be wonderful if they list their “Endowment” items online.

By: Leah Gunn

Leah Gunn — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:26:04 +0000

I am glad to hear the PORT is helping the situation. PORT is supported by county taxes, and I am one of the Commissioners who votes for that budget every year. They do a wonderful job against very heavy odds, and I am proud to say that PORT is a part of Washtenaw County government.

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:57:28 +0000

MSHDA [link] Check online, you could read their audit report, some called them "Private Company" Should we solely use their comment to easily demolish??

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:53:03 +0000

Thanks for your explanation, Miss leah Gunn.

1. Urban County spends 0% of administration of Human Services Fund. I’m asking how much does “Office of Community Development” take and how much does “United Way” take?

2. The estimated “$5 million”, where does it go first before allocating to small non-profits?

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:41:57 +0000

To, Miss Leah Gunn. we’re investing (borrowing- using our next generation’s money) $8 million to demolish 47 and rebuild 32, we further lose 15 units. People will stay in Housing? We’re worsening the homeless situation. Avalon was supposed to rehab them, but they chose to demolish. They used the recommendation of MSHDA as their shield. Please check the link and know more about MSHDA, they even didn’t avoid the practice of ” Conflicts of Interest”
For Avalon, I don’t blame them, they need “Developer Fee” to survive. However, using big money but lose housing. We need to see the vicious cycle.
You wrote, “WHO SAYS THE POOR DESERVE A LOWER QUALITY THAN THE REST OF US?” I’m with them all the time. They need propane gas to keep warm in their homeless tents. A guy got too sick & burnt out the propane donated by Zion Church, I drove him to ER last Friday. He(Allon) felt embarrassed to ask again. He took the bus to Ypsilanti to “Octa Plasma Inc” to “Donate Plasma” to get the money ($30-$50) to buy propane to keep warm. Unfortunately, his blood pressure was too high. They didn’t want his blood. Another woman homeless camper(Ashante) has lymphoma cancer, they didn’t want her plasma either. They ended up calling me for help. Miss Leah Gunn, we don’t target on high/low quality, we are struggling to survive. All I said is true, people can contact John Loring from PORT to know the real suffering situation. When there is not enough fund, public money need to be used in a sensible way. Right, I don’t blame to keep a big non-profit survive, I just blame myself not working hard to let people know how the miserable to sell their blood to
keep survive in the cold.
There are “Kim” and “Louis” suffering from Bipolar for years, still hiding in the parking strutures…..
When using housing fund and borrowed future money, we need to be extremely careful. Our children need to repay our debt.

By: Leah Gunn

Leah Gunn — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:35:06 +0000

Human Service Funding recommendations come from the Review Committee appointed by the various bodies. For the Urban County these people were appointed at the meeting as was stated in the article. Therefore, the Urban County membership is the ONLY influence on its part of the funding stream. This has been explained time and time again. For the county, it is three people appointed who recommend to the Board of Commissioners (see above). It is the Commissioners who make the final decision. The City Council also makes the final decision for its share of the funding. So, each elected body makes decisions about where the tax money goes. The Urban County spends 0% for adminstration of Human Services – this was also explained at the meeting.

The money spent goes directly to those non-profits who have been recommended to receive it. The criteria for both applying and receiving are very stringent, and the recipents are held to a high standard. They all have contracts which they must fulfill, with measurable outcomes. The non-profits are supervised by both the Office of Community Development and the United Way. If they do not perform, funding is not renewed. This has been the method for some time, and it works in a very efficient and cost effective manner, to help those people most in need in our community.

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:08:54 +0000

1. Human Services Funding recommendations are from “Office of Community Development”? How many people from this department will draft the recommendations? OCD receives half the salary from Urban County, does main people at Urban County GREATLY influence the funding recommendations?

2. Almost $5 million from different entities, where does this money go? Is there an escort account?
What committee is going to supervise this committee?

By: Lily Au

Lily Au — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:53:54 +0000

In response to Mary Jo Callen, I'm very willing to listen to your explanation about the current policy. In my memory, I've not been approached by you to talk to me. At the City Council, I was approached by the rep from the United Way only. I didn't say that 10-15% from the "Coordinated Funding". I said that before the allocation, OCD already takes the administrative fee. Please check this link, the central part: MSHDA 2010-2011 Allocations. OCD took $14,235 HUD 2010-2011 Allocations OCD took $ 4,877 [link] Besides, 20% of the $2.2 million from CDBG 10% of the $1.68 million from HOME [link] though it's not directly related to Human Service Fund, OCD does takes certain percentages out of the fund reaching through the department. My point is we need to avoid double administrative fees from both "OCD" & "United Way", we know that United Way's overhead cost was over $2 million (2009 online financial report) Miss Collan, I am very willing to listen to you and will attend Feb 22 Urban meeting. I will be there 30 minutes earlier. Would you come earlier to talk? We both work on making a better community.