Structure

Milwaukee Continuum of Care Lead Agency

The City of Milwaukee is the designated lead agency for the WI 501- Milwaukee City and County Continuum of Care.  As the lead agency, The City of Milwaukee is responsible for: staffing CoC committees, producing planning materials, coordinating needs/gaps assessments, collecting and reporting performance data, monitoring program performance, coordinating resources, integrating activities, facilitating collaboration, preparing collaborative application for CoC funds, being media point of contact for information on homelessness in Milwaukee County, maintaining CoC website, entering into all contracts and MOU’s on behalf of the CoC, and monitoring performance under these contracts.  The CoC requests executed Memorandum of Understanding agreement (MOU) from all CoC-funded agencies on an annual basis.

Contact Information:
Steven L. Mahan, Director, The City of Milwaukee – Community Development Grants Administration
smahan@milwaukee.gov
414.286-3647
200 E. Wells Street – Room #606
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Rafael Acevedo, Continuum of Care Contact, Grant Compliance Manager – Community Development Grants Administration
racevedo@milwaukee.gov
414.286.5548
200 E. Wells Street – Room #606
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Claire Shanahan, Continuum of Care Contact, Continuum of Care Specialist
cshana@milwaukee.gov
414.286.8199
200 E. Wells Street – Room #606
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Membership

**The CoC Governance Charter is currently in revision.**
The Milwaukee CoC encourages an open invitation process. Current invitation methods are: announcements at CoC or work group meetings, newspapers, public inquiries, letters/emails to CoC lead agency for membership, and outreach to organizations/faith-based groups.

In addition, the Continuum will continue to increase membership with new partners. In particular, it will work to expand partnerships with private sector entities, as well as with non-profit housing development organizations to include entities with expertise in developing, operating and maintaining permanent housing for persons with disabilities, chronically homeless and veterans, especially individuals with mental illness and families.  Further information about membership and the membership application can be found by clicking HERE.

Board of Directors

In total, there are 33 available seats on the CoC Board of Directors. Terms are for three years. Existing representatives may be designated for successive terms, at the will of the respective Board member organization. The CoC Board of Directors is the lead decision-making body responsible for planning for the use of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HEARTH Act CoC resources, and coordinating these funds with other relevant resources in the jurisdiction.  Board of Directors seats include representatives of nonprofits, the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, city of West Allis, local universities, housing developers, school districts, philanthropy, employment assistance, health care, mental health care and the Shelter and Transitional Housing Task Force.

Milwaukee Continuum of Care Board of Directors Roster

  1. Amy Lorenz, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division
  2. Andi Elliott, Community Advocates
  3. Damir Djidic, Milwaukee County Public Housing Authority
  4. Dan Blascsyk, Advocate Aurora Health
  5. Dan McCarthy (Board Vice Chair), Zilber
  6. Dr. David Nelson, Medical College of Wisconsin
  7. Emily Kenney, Impact, Inc.
  8. Jackie Martinez, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
  9. Jeff Stingley, Housing First Resident Advisory Council
  10. Jim Mathy, Milwaukee County Housing Division
  11. John Stibal (Board Chair), City of West Allis
  12. Kent Lovern, Milwaukee County DA Office
  13. Dr. Kristin Haglund, Marquette University
  14. Luke Radomski, HUD
  15. Mildred Coby, Employ Milwaukee
  16. Molly Gena, Legal Action of Wisconsin
  17. Nancy Esteves, Institute for Community Alliances
  18. Nick Tomaro, City of Milwaukee Health Department
  19. Nicole Angresano, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
  20. Rebecca Konkel, UWM
  21. Tim Baack, Pathfinders, Inc., Shelter and Transitional Housing Task Force Representative

CoC Leadership Committee

The CoC Leadership Committee is comprised of members from CoC, CDBG, ESG (Federal, State and City), and HOPWA funded agencies. It is convened to facilitate service delivery among providers, provide input to the Board of Directors on funding and service delivery issues, and to help in the resolution of service delivery issues that may arise at the local, state or federal levels.  Each agency on the CoC Leadership Committee designates two voting representatives (a primary representative and secondary representative).

CoC Leadership Committee Member Agencies

  • Cathedral Center
  • Center for Veterans Issues
  • Community Advocates
  • the Guest House of Milwaukee
  • Heartland Alliance
  • Hope House
  • IMPACT, Inc.
  • Institute for Community Alliances
  • La Causa, Inc.
  • Mercy Housing – St. Catherine’s
  • Milwaukee County Housing Division
  • Outreach Community Health Centers
  • Pathfinders
  • Sojourner Family Peace Center
  • the Salvation Army of Milwaukee
  • Vivent Health
  • Walker’s Point Youth and Family Services

General Members

  • 411 Rebirth
  • the Asha Project
  • Benedict Center
  • Courage MKE
  • Deanna Kloster (United Healthcare)
  • Devin Thomas, MSW, APSW (faculty, UWM Helen Bader School of Social Welfare)
  • Divine Intervention Ministry to the Homeless
  • End Domestic Abuse WI
  • Exploit No More
  • Fresh Start Learning, Inc.
  • the Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin
  • Greg Stadter (Milwaukee Healthcare Partnership, or MKEHCP)
  • Dr. Jan Wilberg
  • Legal Action of Wisconsin
  • Lutheran Social Services
  • MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary
  • Maximus
  • Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge
  • Natalie Czarkowski, Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management
  • Repairers of the Breach
  • Shoshanah Breusewitz (Milwaukee Public Schools – Homeless Education Program)
  • Sirona Recovery
  • Street Angels Milwaukee Outreach
  • Tracy Oldenburg (Milwaukee Public Schools – Homeless Education Program)
  • United Methodist Children’s Services of Wisconsin, Inc.
  • Westcare, Wisconsin, Inc.
  • Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs

*The Lead Agency introduced a general membership application process for CoC membership available to organizations and individuals in May 2018.  Please click HERE to view the general membership information packet and application.