Latest news with #EmergencyRentalAssistance
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Former Geminus employee sentenced to two years for stealing federal funds
A former employee of a Merrillville-based not-for-profit service agency was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday morning after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud in February. United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon sentenced Valencia Franklin of Lynwood, Illinois, to 24 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release in the U.S. District Court Northern Indiana in Hammond. Franklin, 52, was also ordered to pay $352,300 in restitution to Geminus Corporation, her former employer. Franklin was accused of misappropriating $636,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance funds destined to help renters hang on to their residences during the pandemic by creating false landlords to fraudulently request money from the program, according to an independent audit by an Indianapolis accounting firm. Geminus Corp. discovered discrepancies in its records which led to finding out about the potential fraud in July 2022, according to Bill Trowbridge, president and CEO of Geminus and its umbrella organization, Regional Care Group. The nonprofit service agency based in Merrillville immediately contacted the U.S. Department of the Treasury and fired Franklin, as well as alerted the accounting firm that does its annual audit. The audit, released in January 2023, covered fiscal years ending in June 2021 and 2022. The $636,000 figure is what Geminus 'had strong suspicions' was fraudulent and reported to the feds and the agency's auditors, Trowbridge said. Geminus received $40 million in federal funding for the Emergency Rental Assistance program as a pass-through agency, distributing the money throughout Lake County during the pandemic. During the often emotional hearing, Franklin's attorney, Adam Sheppard, pointed to the adversity Franklin overcame in her life and the fact that she 'didn't try to shift the blame' of her crime to anyone else as mitigating factors. Originally, sentencing guidelines had Franklin facing between 41 months and 51 months. 'Look at the adversity she's overcome: a teenage pregnancy, but then she got her GED, then her associate's degree, a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a (certified public accountant) degree,' Sheppard said. 'It was a crime of opportunity and greed, and she spent the money on basic needs. There were no luxury cars; she was supporting family and friends — her youngest son and her ailing mother, for whom she's the primary caregiver. 'She recognizes she's jeopardized her freedom.' Veronica Hill, Franklin's friend since they were in fifth grade, said Franklin has always 'given her all' to make sure everyone else was Ok. 'When we would play ding-dong ditch, Valencia wouldn't play because she was afraid of getting in trouble,' Hill said through tears. 'She has a fear of authority, and she wouldn't do anything to harm the government. It's not who she is.' In her statement to the court, Franklin — who wept through most of it — said she had 'no excuses' for 'the embarrassment she brought to her family and employer.' 'I was tempted by the easy way out. I failed my job, I failed my community,' she said. 'I let down a young, underprivileged lady, and she deserved better. So did everyone else I failed. 'I will carry the weight of that for the rest of my life. I'm not trying to escape punishment, but I'm asking for mercy.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Wolff agreed the case was sad, but said it was also intentional. 'She did the first one for her son, but then she did it again and again and again. It wasn't a passive scheme,' Wolff said. Simon said he has 'very little concern' that Franklin will ever re-offend, but he had to send a message to the community that stealing from the Federal government will not go unanswered. 'You used family members as props in a jaw-dropping level of criminality,' Simon said. 'And a year after, when you were supposed to send out 1099s for recipients of the money to report it to the IRS, you made efforts that they didn't receive them. You said you're ashamed — well, you ought to be ashamed. 'You were one of the few success stories of the system, and you've thrown it away. But you've totally owned this, which is important for getting it behind you.' Simon gave Franklin until 2 p.m. August 28 to report to prison, and he said he will see to it that she's close enough to family for their support. Franklin will likely receive 54 days of good behavior toward her sentence, meaning she'll serve 85% of her sentence, Sheppard said, after which she'll be moved to a halfway house to complete it. He was pleased with the outcome. 'Judge was very thoughtful with the sentencing, and he was considerate,' Sheppard said. Franklin and her family declined comment through Sheppard.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Kane County offering rent and utility assistance to renters at risk of losing housing
Renters in Kane County who are behind on payments and at risk of eviction can apply for rent and utility help through July 31 as part of the county's Homeless Prevention Program, according to a press release from the county. The program is meant to help pay rent and utility bills that are past-due up to 12 months, up to three months of future rent and security deposits for rentals. Residents in the county are eligible if they earn 80% of the area median income or less, live in a rental unit in the county, are behind on rent or utilities or live in unsafe or overcrowded housing, have lost income or received unemployment and haven't received other federal rental assistance during the same time and haven't applied for this program before. County residents can apply at this link: Applications will be taken through July 31, the county said. Processing applications can take six to eight weeks, according to the county. Individuals with questions about the program can contact Kim Lovely at LovelyKim@ or 630-444-1231, or Brittny Garcia at GarciaBrittny@ or 630-232-5871 for assistance in Spanish. The program is federally funded as part of the United States Treasury Department's Emergency Rental Assistance program, a county spokesperson said. The federal program was meant to provide housing stability for renters during the COVID-19 pandemic, per the Treasury Department's website. Funding for the Emergency Rental Assistance program expires and therefore must be spent by Sept. 30, 2025, according to the Treasury Department's website. The county does not expect to apply for more federal funding for the program going forward, the county spokesperson said, and instead plans to start a different, grant-funded program through the county health department.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brown County could spend $3.5 million on new Green Bay fire station and apartment complex
Brown County could spend $3.5 million on Green Bay's new fire station and apartment complex. The county's Human Services Committee meets April 16 to discuss a proposed resolution to help fund the city's project and turn the former Badger Sheet Metal site into a new fire station along with Metro Fire administration offices, over 200 apartments, commercial spaces and green infrastructure. The site is in the 400 block of South Broadway. The money comes from the county's Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds, which were two rounds of funds provided during the pandemic to assist residents with rent and housing. The first round of ERA funds was provided through the CARES and Consolidated Appropriations acts and the second round came through the American Rescue Plan Act. Brown County received $14.9 million in 2021. In the second round of funds, the county received an additional $17.3 million, for a total of $32.2 million in ERA funding, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The money needs to be obligated by Sept. 30. Otherwise, the county would lose the money and it would go back to the Treasury. Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said the $3.5 million is the only ERA funds left that are unallocated, besides a remaining $500,000 that will goes toward court evictions. At least 75% of the second round of ERA funds needs to be used to help households cover costs. The ERA funds went toward rent, utilities or other housing bills for 2,286 households in Brown County by the end of September 2024, according to data from the Treasury. The remaining funds can go toward an affordable housing project. The $3.5 million would go toward the project on South Broadway to provide more affordable housing in the county, the resolution states. The Human Services Committee will discuss the resolution in its meeting April 16, before going to the Brown County Board that night for a vote. Streckenbach said the county decided to put the ERA money toward the new fire station and apartment complex because the project fell within the September deadline and qualified under the ERA guidelines. "It's a best of both worlds scenario," Streckenbach said. "We want to support Green Bay." The county's funds would make up for some potential federal funding that failed to come through for the project after $5 million requested by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin for the project was not included in a continuing resolution signed into law March 15. The new fire station would replace the aging stations at 885 Shawano Ave. and 501 S. Washington St. Both are around 90 years old. In 2018, the city bought the Badger Sheet Metal site and secured a $1 million Environmental Protection Agency grant to demolish the buildings and get rid of contaminated soil on the site. The city had previously allocated $1.025 million for the project in ARPA funds. County Board Chair Pat Buckley hopes the site will spur more development in the Shipyard area. "If we can get this thing off the ground, it's a win-win," Buckley said. "Hopefully this makes the project come to fruition." If the city secures all of the money needed for the project, the new fire station complex would break ground this year, Council Member Melinda Eck said. Two-thirds of County Board members would have to vote to approve the resolution April 16 night for it to pass. Buckley said he expects the County Board to approve it. More: $5 million in federal funds for new Green Bay fire station left out of new federal spending bill Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@ This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Brown County could help fund new fire station and apartment buildings in Green Bay
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Des Moines' emergency homeless shelter will limit space during extreme cold, heat
Central Iowa's largest homeless shelter will no longer accept extra people in times of extreme cold or heat, saying it can't afford it. Polk County's weather amnesty program goes into effect during extremely cold and hot temperatures, requiring shelters such as Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS) to house more people beyond its 150-bed limit. Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority provides rides to warming and cooling shelters during this time. But because of budget constraints, CISS will not exceed the number of beds people normally can access: 100 for men and 50 for women, CEO Melissa O'Neil said during a Polk County Board of Supervisors meeting last week. The agency will keep 20 additional overflow slots for communities that have agreements with CISS, including West Des Moines, Clive and Waukee, O'Neil said. The organization's food services and hours also are taking a hit, she added. The cap comes months after Des Moines passed a new law banning people from sleeping in public places. The ban largely shifts a burden of care on homeless service providers who have previously said they were already strapped for resources well ahead of its implementation. More: 'Getting rid of us': Des Moines' homeless fear what they'll lose as camping ban begins The restriction was not an easy decision, O'Neil told supervisors March 11, pointing to the agency's origins: CISS was created in 1992 when five people living in the streets of Des Moines died after they were denied shelter. Last January, Polk County found approximately 715 homeless people — 147 of who were unsheltered — on a single night during a bi-annual point-in-time count. "This decision to cap our facility weighed very heavy on our hearts as we also try to work to make sure we have a balanced budget and that we're here to provide support long term," O'Neil told supervisors. The organization will participate in weather amnesty through April, O'Neil wrote in an email to the Des Moines Register. Except for reduced numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic, CISS has experienced seasonal highs and lows since the current facility at 1420 Mulberry St. opened in 2012, O'Neil told the Register. Those increased numbers have placed a "significant strain on resources, making it necessary to ensure we can continue providing sustainable services to those in shelter," she wrote. O'Neil estimates CISS spends about $66 per person in its facility per day. This includes overnight shelter, three meals, case management, job training programs, laundry, utility bills and security. Nearly 1,800 people visited CISS' emergency shelter between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, and stayed an average 28 days, according to the organization's 2023 annual report. On March 11, Polk supervisors approved nearly $299,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance funds to CISS for critical infrastructure repairs related to lighting, security cameras and a fire panel that's out of code. A second funding allocation to CISS could go before the supervisors as soon as March 25 to replace HVAC units and equipment in the community kitchen and help address hot water concerns, O'Neil wrote. The agency, which has an approximate $6.5 million annual budget, is largely funded with federal dollars for operations. But it relies on donations to pay the costs to house additional people during extreme weather, O'Neil said. CISS spent $100,500 over 10 days under weather amnesty in January, she said. That extra cost went to additional staff, food and off-duty officers who monitor the building 24 hours a day. What's more, O'Neil projects that extra cost would rise to an estimated $136,000 during the same 10-day weather amnesty period in fiscal year 2026, which starts July 1. "So those extra costs are really starting to weigh financially on CISS," she said. O'Neil said she hopes the announcement spurs more community conversation about the "wear and tear" of the facility's maintenance and staff, as well as the need for more emergency shelters in the metro. Part of the effort will be getting service providers across Iowa to "do their part," O'Neil said. In a recent call with emergency shelter and service providers across the state, O'Neil said she learned multiple shelters were at 75% occupancy and not doing weather amnesty. CISS has spent $250,000 of its federal funds outside of the county to keep people in their hometowns in fiscal year 2025, O'Neil said. That includes $75,000 in Poweshiek County. "We understand the financial (implications) of this. We understand the concerns that are going to be in the downtown community and we really hope that we can keep having conversations so we're prepared for next winter. "But at this point in time, we just have to draw the line," she said. Polk County supervisor Angela Connolly, who estimates the weather amnesty program runs about 30 to 45 days each year, is concerned about how the county will fill the gap. "I would like her to figure out how to keep this in operation so that she can continue to meet weather amnesty … so, I'm hoping that the community can step up," Connolly said of O'Neil during the meeting. "We cannot continue to go down this path and I don't think … the city of Des Moines can do it by themselves." Polk County's extreme temperature plan ran for 30 days between December and the end of February this season, Polk County officials told the Register. More: See inside a former Days Inn Hotel converted into permanent housing for homeless people CISS' business hours and meal services also are poised to change in May. Two years ago, CISS operated day services from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., O'Neil wrote. But after meeting with community leaders, the organization changed its hours from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to allow unsheltered people to enter before the morning commute downtown and keep them inside for the evening commute. Those hours are no longer financially sustainable, O'Neil told the Register. CISS will remain a 24/7 facility. But business hours will change from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the agency will no longer provide breakfast and dinner to all unsheltered people — only those who spend the night at CISS, O'Neil said. Free lunch will still be available from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to anyone who stops by CISS. People also can still access showers, the clothing closet and food pantry during business hours. Currently, CISS staff serves about 200 meals each day for breakfast, about 250 for dinner, and from 250 to 300 meals for lunch, O'Neil told the Register. For extreme heat, the temperatures must reach a 95-degree heat index or higher, and two consecutive days where the heat index doesn't drop below 75 degrees at night, according to the county. For extreme cold, temperatures must reach any of the following: a 10-degree wind chill for three consecutive days or more, a 5-degree wind chill for two consecutive days or more, or a 0-degree wind chill for one or more days. For more information, visit Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@ Follow her on X at @vbarreda2. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines homeless shelter stops overflow during extreme cold, heat
Axios
11-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Immigrant support struggling amid funding cuts
Federal budget cuts have forced layoffs and defunded services at Columbus immigrant support organizations, leaving the future of resettlement programs uncertain. Why it matters: These organizations help people arriving in Central Ohio, particularly refugees, to acclimate, secure housing and find employment. Columbus is home to around 600,000 immigrants. Catch up quick: In January, a Trump administration executive order froze federal funding for refugee resettlement. Days later, the administration attempted to freeze a variety of grants, loans and other financial assistance programs, but this effort was eventually halted in court. Those decisions and threats led to uncertainty among organizations like Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS), Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS) and Jewish Family Services (JFS), which rely on public funding for their work. State of play: More than a month later, that uncertainty remains, but those organizations are already feeling the effects of funding cuts. Case in point: At ETSS, the organization's entire resettlement department of 17 full-time employees has been laid off. Spokesperson Dianna Russell tells us ETSS has continued to provide services that are usually reimbursed by Global Refuge, a national resettlement office, without certainty of where funding will come from. Working with about 75 people, ETSS has incurred roughly $500,000 in expenses to put the group "in a deficit." Between the lines: Meanwhile, JFS and CRIS are scrambling to avoid dropping services and cutting workers. JFS CEO Karen Mozenter tells Axios it has requested "a couple hundred thousand dollars" in reimbursement from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, its affiliated national resettlement office, but does not know whether that will be fulfilled. JFS has yet to lay off workers, but will "have no choice" if federal funding cuts proceed as threatened. CRIS has scaled back operations and laid off members of resettlement program staff. The intrigue: In the meantime, Columbus has stepped in to close some gaps in refugee resettlement. Both Russell and Mozenter tell us the city is providing financial support by paying rent for newly resettled families. City spokeswoman Melanie Crabill confirmed that Columbus is connected with those organizations through the Homelessness Prevention Network, and is using Emergency Rental Assistance funds to help "when federal resettlement funds are unavailable." What they're saying: Tariq Mohamed, JFS' director of new American services, tells Axios the impact of declining immigrant support could be "a very serious, significant problem" for Central Ohio business owners. "The business community has to really be aware of this, because without refugees and immigrants, honestly, I don't know what these businesses will do for their workforce."
