$106 million has been awarded to local homeless programs from HUD

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made an exciting announcement for the state. 

According to the release, Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice announced today that more than $106 million in the Fiscal Year 2019 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program grants to support local homeless programs in Pennsylvania. Nationally, $2.2 billion is being awarded to approximately 6,593 local programs serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 

“In Pennsylvania, we are renewing critically needed support to 433 existing programs while funding 26 new projects,” said Regional Administrator DeFelice in a release. This year’s funding includes an additional $5.7 million, so HUD is significantly investing in local communities across the commonwealth to reduce and end homelessness.”

HUD’s CoC grants a variety of vital resources needed for those living in undesirable and uninhabitable locations. That includes individuals and families experiencing homelessness living in sheltering programs, or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. 

According to the release, HUD also continues to challenge state and local planning organizations called ‘Continuums of Care’ to support their highest performing local programs that have proven most effective in meeting the needs of persons experiencing homelessness in their communities. 

A few organizations in the Philadelphia area receiving funding specifically from HUD includes 2019 Visitation PSH, Abriendo Caminos, Appletree Housing, Back on Track, Bernice Elza, Casa Nueva Vida CEA-BHRS Expansion Cecil Housing Chestnut Manor Cloisters III, Edison 64, Enhanced Services Project (ESP) Fairway Commons, JBJ Soul Homes, JOURNEY HOME, Kairos House/1523 Fairmount Kate’s Place Consolidated LDVP Rapid Rehousing, Patriot House, Pennsgrove, Permanent Housing, Positive Living, Project Rainbow, PTH Phila Integrated Services Project SHP Rap4Youth, Ray Homes/St. Elizabeth’s and dozens upon dozens more. A full list can be found at https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2019-pennsylvania-coc…

According to the release, In 2019, most of the country experienced a combined decrease in homelessness but significant increases in unsheltered and chronic homelessness on the West Coast, particularly California and Oregon, offset those nationwide decreases, causing an overall increase in homelessness of 2.7 percent. HUD’s 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that 567,715 persons experienced homelessness on a single night in 2019, an increase of 2.7 percent since 2018 but a nearly 11-percent decline since 2010.

Through these grants in the state of Pennsylvania and around the country, HUD will be furthering continuing their mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.