Pandemic emergency hotel shelter program in Dane County extended

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -Dane County will extend its Pandemic Emergency Hotel Shelter Program to further help those experiencing homelessness and at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

County Executive Joe Parisi announced that the program has already helped hundreds of residents in Dane County social distance and connect to different resources. This program is funded by Dane County’s allocation of local aid authorized in the 2021 American Rescue Plan.

“This $3.1 million extension in our Emergency Hotel Shelter Program will allow us and our partners to continue providing the space and services our most vulnerable residents need to recover from and limit the spread of COVID-19, while we also work toward permanent housing solutions,” said Parisi.

The $3.1 million in additional funding is required to provide non-congregate shelter and related post-program supports through September 30, 2022, and isolation and quarantine shelter through February 28, 2023.

In March of 2020 Dane County funded non-congregate hotel shelter operations and helped to create critical social distancing in the community’s homeless shelter system. Partners have included numerous hotels to provide rooms, the City of Madison, Public Health Madison-Dane County, and frontline agencies.

More than 110 people were served at one time during the Omicron variant’s peak in the Fall/Winter of 2021/2022. Overall there are over 400 unique households that have been served by both programs since the pandemic began.

To date, Dane County has spent $23.1 million on its Emergency Covid-19 Hotel Housing Program.