ST. AUGUSTINE - Federal, county and other local officials gathered today with U.S. Representative John Mica (FL-7) to announce the second-ever funding of a St. Johns County-based Homeless organization. The Emergency Shelter and Continuum of Care Grants are part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD's) Homeless
Grant Programs.

Under this Program, The Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County is to receive $165,644, which is part of the $58.3 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Florida-based funds announced by Acting HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson in Washington D.C. on December 19, 2003 - the largest amount of homeless assistance awarded in the nation's history, and the second year such funds have been awarded to a St. Johns County organization.

In the December 2003, national grant announcement, Acting HUD Secretary Jackson said, "We must continue to
seek effective ways to help our most vulnerable neighbors to find the housing and services they need to break their cycle of homelessness." Adding, "The funding we announced is a critical step toward ending chronic homelessness while providing a helping hand to those individuals and families to avoid a life on the streets."

Attending today's event were various St. Johns County elected officials, service providers and participants as well
as U.S. Representative John Mica and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Jacksonville Field Office Director, J. Nicholas Shelley, who presented ceremonial grant checks to Jean Hardin of Emergency Services
Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County and Goodwill of North Florida.

U.S. Representative John Mica (FL-7) has been a very active supporter of housing and of ending homelessness remarked, "These funds signal a continuing effort by the Bush Administration to focus more resources on providing permanent housing and supportive services to the homeless including those persons who are mentally ill, addicted
or physically disabled." Rep. Mica challenged the group and community by adding, "We must collectively work on solutions to help our most vulnerable neighbors find the services and housing resources necessary to improve their standards of living and quality of life."

The Emergency Service and Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County is a network of local homeless service providers dedicated to helping homeless individuals and families move off the streets and obtain essential services and assistance.

Despite its humble beginnings, the St. Johns County Coalition last year made significant strides to address the homeless issue in the county. Without public funding, it purchased 14 houses in the western end of the county to
be used for transitional housing. Last year's $152,610 HUD grant assisted with the restoration of its largest house
and was used for supportive services. This year's $165,644 funding will primarily focus on supportive services.

HUD is awarding two types of grants:

• Continuum of Care (CoC) grants provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons. In
  addition, these Continuum grants fund services like job training, health care, mental health counseling,
  substance abuse treatment and child care.
  
  
• Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) convert buildings into homeless shelters, assist in the operation of local
  shelters and fund related social service and homeless prevention programs.

HUD's Continuum of Care and Emergency Shelter Grant programs provide critically needed funding to more than
3,700 local programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result, over 700,000 persons will receive the housing and services they need to become self-sufficient. A portion
of the $140 million in Continuum grants awarded nationally will renew funding of existing programs through HUD's Shelter Plus Care program which helps to pay rent and provide permanent housing for disabled homeless individuals and their families. The Shelter Plus Care program requires that HUD-funded projects help their clients live independently and provide needed supportive services from funding sources other than HUD.

Most of the $51,396,280 million Continuum of Care grant funding announced throughout Florida are awarded competitively to local programs to meet the needs of their homeless clients. Continuum of Care grants fund
outreach and assessment programs at the local level and will provide transitional and permanent housing to
homeless persons and families.

In addition, over $6.9 million in Emergency Shelter Grants are being awarded throughout Florida based on a formula
of a community's need. Emergency Shelter Grants help state and local governments create, improve and operate emergency shelters for homeless people. In addition, these grants may also support essential services including job training, health care, drug/alcohol treatment, childcare, and homelessness prevention activities.

Other organizations in North Florida, funded by these grants include:

Okaloosa/Walton County CoC Tallahassee/Leon County CoC Gainesville/Alachua/Putnam County CoC Jacksonville-Duval/Clay County CoC Pensacola/Escambia/Santa Rosa County CoC St. Johns County CoC

$426,458 $1,002,492 $906,114 $4,163,164 $307,887 $165,644

For nearly three years, HUD has increasingly emphasized the Bush Administration's goal of ending chronic homelessness in its assistance programs. Research indicates that approximately 10 percent of all homeless persons experience long-term or chronic homelessness. These studies also find that this population utilizes over half of all emergency shelter resources designed to assist homeless individuals and families. By shifting the federal emphasis toward meeting the needs of the most vulnerable homeless persons, more resources become available for those who experience homelessness as a temporary condition.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.