July 2026 Meeting Minutes
FOX CITIES HOUSING COALITION
DATE OF MEETING: JULY 15TH, 2026
MEETING: ZOOM TIME: 8:30AM-10:00AM
Minutes
1. CALL TO ORDER/ATTENDANCE
a. QR CODE ATTENDANCE (PLEASE DO THE QR CODE FOR MATCH PURPOSES)
i. ONLINE: MEMBERS ROLL CALL ONLY
1. NEW PARTICIPANTS STATE NAME AND AGENCY IN CHAT
ii. IN PERSON: INTRODUCTIONS OF EACH PERSON
iii. LIST OF ATTENDANCE FROM MEETINGS UPON REQUEST
2. APPROVAL OF JUNE 2026 MINUTES: Susan moves, Richard seconds approval. Motion carries.
3. TREASURER’S REPORT- MELANIE HAEN; $12,162.28 balance
a. BUDGET BREAKDOWN UPON REQUEST
4. COORDINATED ENTRY PRESENTATION - LIZ CROLEY: attached
a. PIT DATA AND JULY SIGN UP- NEED 1 MORE LEAD
b. GOING TO BE GETTING GIFT CARDS FOR THE EVENING
c. DONATIONS TO BRING FOR NIGHT OF WELCOME
i. BUG SPRAY, SUNSCREEN, FIRST AID KITS, GIFT CARDS, PONCHOS, ETC.
5. BOS CONFERENCE IN LA CROSSE, FEB 2-4
a. FAITH COMMUNITY DOING A SESSION!
b. Still options for presentation so if interested, let Liz know.
6. BOS ADVOCACY LEADS: SUSAN GARCIA FRANZ AND CONNIE RAETHER- No update.
7. COMMITTEE UPDATES
a. AFFORDABLE HOUSING- SUSAN GARCIA FRANZ; Joined forces with the regulations and licensing lever group so discussed our action plan. Still doing presentations. Will be doing a podcast. Have 26 housing champions at this time; goal is 50 so please sign up (go to foxcitieshousing.org website and sign up)!
b. COORDINATION AND ENGAGEMENT- LIZ CROLEY; One more meeting coming up on Thursday to finalize the direction of access points. Will present info at next meeting.
c. INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT INCOME- JENNIE MOORE; Focusing on the fall event.
d. DEI committee: Has disbanded but if people want to reach out about ways to continue the work, contact Tracie.
8. DISCUSSING NEXT STEPS OF ANNUAL DIGNITY & OPEN DOORS: A FRESH START EVENT
a. LOCATION: ZION CHURCH
b. POTENTIAL DATE: OCTOBER 21 (DATE OF OCT FCHC MEETING)* COULD CHANGE!
c. SIGN UP FOR WORK GROUP (to FIND PEOPLE AND AGENCIES TO SHOW UP ON THE DAY)
i. PICK A LEAD/S – EMAIL LIZ THE NAME/S OF COMMITTEE LEADS
ii. MEET 1-2 TIMES BEFORE NEXT FCHC MEETING
iii. Liz is working on a publicity blurb to send out
iv. Liz will send out an email to all people who have signed up for a committee by the end of this week.
v. Let Liz know if you’d like to sign up.
vi. Will need the planning committee to handle publicity and all committees will need to get the word out as well so we have participants.
10: SPOTLIGHT—HOPE STARTS HERE: Will serve young people in our communities still in school (unaccompanied homeless youth) who have no permanent home. Leverages the learnings of a Florida org called Starting Right Now, which has successfully served over 400 unaccompanied youth by offering life skills, care management, housing, mentorship, etc. 97% graduated from high school and many became mentors to younger youth.
This is for youth not in the foster care system but without a permanent home. 800 students experiencing homelessness in 2023 in 5 local school districts; about 18-20% are actually unaccompanied. Good at hiding and avoiding current systems. Often these youth are surviving the best way they can…”Your circumstances aren’t your fault but they are your responsibility.” When given structure, responsibility and mentorship these youth can thrive. Students will be required to attend school and work 10-15 hours per week, meet with a mentor and possibly take drug tests. We rally around our sports team, let’s rally around our youth! Have a board, hope to raise $250,000 to cover the affiliate fee of Starting Right Now, legal formation, property preparation, etc. Hope is to eventually build a large facility, possibly start with a 5 bedroom home. For more info, contact Melanie Haen at melaniehaen@gmail.com. Website is hopestartshereinc.org
11: Updates:
· Home for Everyone Conference in Pewaukee July 29/30.
· COC funding competition. Currently under litigation so application hasn’t been released yet.
· Heads up fundraiser Sept. 17th.
· City of Appleton staff participated in a Habitat for Humanity build.
· From Jonathan at Fox Valley Veterans Council: If you have military, veteran connected individuals or families that you serve, please know that we have a local Veterans Emergency Fund. If you have any questions, please let us know.
If you have cases that you may need some collaboration or support with for veteran households, you can contact our case manager Rick Underwood. casemgr@foxvalleyveterans.org
https://www.foxvalleyveterans.org/
· From Katie at B and GC: Recommendation of the book If You See Them: Young, Unhoused, and Alone in America
· From Trent: Trent Thibodeau 9:39 AM
Not my agency directly but there have been some big changes to foodshare that our folks may be seeing: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/noncitizens.htm
Members on Medicaid need to re-opt in One other thing—DHS recently made some changes for people receiving digital communications (text/email). Members receiving DHS services now need to call their local consortium, log in to ACCESS, or contact their local economic support specialist to explicitly “opt in” for digital communications. This is really important in case some members we serve are not the best at checking their mail or do not have a permanent address. This has to be done again even if they had been receiving messages like this prior to the new change that started on Monday (7/13).
Building Fox Cities Housing Alliance--Kristine Giornalista: buildfoxcities.org is the new website. Community land trust feasibility assessment is on the website. Also two reports on zoning. Alliance can take the lead on communities looking for toolkits to communicate their process, elected official education and stormwater management.
12. REMINDER OF IN PERSON MEETING MONTHS: FCHC WEBSITE ATTENDANCE QR CODE:
a. SEPTEMBER
b. DECEMBER
13. ADJOURN- Melanie moves, Joe seconds. Motion carries.
Recording: Shareable link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6TbDgctaMszSwbCa3Eli8mqAO8JFTt5AdfgnGbT8Vq8dMOK2EOBTHuEvhlgM7HTF.VSduB-9SuNGak2dw
Passcode: xL.16c3k
NEXT MEETING DATE: AUG 19TH TH VIA ZOOM