Title
Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia, Approving the Creation of A Step Up Foundation, Inc. by the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
After a review of the 2016 School Age Report, which is a summary of data generated by Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA), Hampton City Schools (HCS) and Virginia Department of Education (DOE), the HRHA Board began a discussion about action steps the Authority had taken, and would contemplate going forward, to address some of the social and economic conditions that hinder the preparedness of school age children in HRHA housing programs. These discussions eventually opened the door for a partnership with HCS with a goal to improve educational outcomes for students served by both agencies.
Over the course of the last two years, the HRHA Board was updated on numerous initiatives about creating opportunities to connect housing and education, which included an examination of HRHA resources needed for intervention services, efforts to engage other community partners to design a comprehensive approach to bring services together, and various strategies to help fund initiatives to address challenges that are barriers to learning.
In an effort to better understand student needs and performance, HRHA and HCS entered into a data sharing agreement. In the end, data suggested that school age children who live in HRHA assisted housing experience higher risk factors that impede their academic performance than non-HRHA students.
In addition to targeting existing programs and support services, HRHA desires to increase the resources it can share in this effort in order to provide long-term support - from the cradle to career - for its families. The next step is to create a tax-exempt entity which would allow HRHA to enhance the education of all HRHA students, support educators, administrators and school programs for its students, and solicit, manage, and distribute funds for programs and services not otherwise funded by HCS or other community partners for the benefit of HRHA students. This entity could receive additional funding through donations and grants.
The HRHA Board agreed and, at its April 25, 2018, meeting approved the creation of a foundation to be named, A Step Up Foundation, Inc. The name connotes action through progression and achievement. The approval was subject to approval by the Council of the City of Hampton pursuant to the Virginia Housing Authorities Law, Title 36 of the Code of Virginia, Section 36-19(12), which permits housing authorities to form corporations, partnerships, or other legal entities with the approval of the local governing body.
The HRHA Board and staff request that the Council of the City of Hampton approve the proposed Resolution Approving the Creation of A Step Up Foundation, Inc. After City Council approval, the required applications will be filed with the appropriate state entities and federal entitles to create the foundation. We anticipate a five member board - no more than nine - to allow for flexibility/changes in the future. Anticipated funding sources are grants and donations.
Discussion:
See Purpose/Background above.
Impact:
See Purpose/Background above.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the Resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, research findings consistently indicate that children who live in assisted housing, specifically public housing communities and housing choice voucher (Section 8, HCV) units, face challenges that negatively impact their academic outcomes;
WHEREAS, Housing Authorities are in a unique position to support educators, students in their care, and their caregivers outside the school day to help address these challenges by creating opportunities to connect housing and education;
WHEREAS, in 2016, the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) partnered with the Hampton City Schools (HCS) with a goal to improve educational outcomes for students who are served by both agencies with the primary focus to help address challenges outside of school that can become barriers to learning, such as housing instability, truancy, and social and health problems;
WHEREAS, through quantitative data that analyzed key shared students risk factors such as absenteeism, discipline, and academic performance and qualitative methods that included HRHA family surveys and focus groups, results suggest that students who live in HRHA assisted housing experience higher risk factors that impede their academic performance than do non-HRHA students;
WHEREAS, HRHA desires to create a foundation, an entity that would support programs and services to improve the educational outcomes of children served by HRHA, the purpose of which would be to facilitate and target existing programs and support services to HRHA children and supplement efforts underway by HCS Title 1 Family Engagement, the City of Hampton Healthy Families and similar programs with monetary funds and other resources;
WHEREAS, the creation of a tax exempt entity would allow the foundation to receive donations from the public and apply for grants and other resources tailored specifically for charitable organizations;
WHEREAS, on April 20, 2018, HRHA reserved a business entity name with the Commonwealth of Virginia, State Corporation Commission, entitled “A Step Up Foundation, Inc.”, as a proposed name for the foundation;
WHEREAS, the Virginia Housing Authorities Law, Title 36 of the Code of Virginia, Section 36-19(12), permits housing authorities to form corporations, partnerships, or other legal entities with the approval of the local governing body;
WHEREAS, on April 25, 2018, the Board of Commissioners of the HRHA approved the creation of A Step Up Foundation, Inc., subject to approval by the City Council of the City of Hampton; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hampton desires to approve the creation of A Step Up Foundation, Inc.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia, hereby approves the creation of A Step Up Foundation, Inc. by the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority pursuant to the authority granted in Title 36-19(12) of the Code of Virginia.