Sioux City staff told the City Council they are applying to the Iowa Finance Authority and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs to fund street outreach and rapid rehousing services for people experiencing homelessness.

"We are applying for both, street outreach and also rapid rehousing funds," said Jill Wundershite, Neighborhood Services Manager. She described street outreach as staff going into the community to build relationships with people who are often service-resistant and noted that the city has run street outreach for several years.

Wundershite said rapid rehousing funds provide rental assistance for up to six months paired with case management. "That's been funded mostly through COVID funds," she said, and the city is now pursuing sustainable funding streams. She added that the program's internal data show an exit-to-stability rate "above 75%" for participants who remain housed after the assistance ends.

Staff told the council that if the city performs well in the first year, the funding is often renewed for a second year under the program rules. The council placed the grant resolution on the consent agenda for action; the consent agenda passed as a block unless a council member requested a separate vote.

Council members thanked staff for pursuing diversified funding and noted the importance of continuity for outreach and case management work. Wundershite and staff said the grant application includes both outreach and rental assistance elements and will rely on local case-management capacity to support participants once short-term rental assistance expires.