HUD No. 03-012 |
For
Release Friday December 19, 2003 |
BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES RECORD $1.27 BILLION TO HELP HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
Mississippi Receives over $5.8 Million
JACKSON - Thousands of local programs that house and serve the homeless are being awarded nearly $1.3 billion in grants announced today by Housing and Urban Development Acting Secretary Alphonso Jackson. Never before has any federal agency awarded so much financial assistance to help the homeless. HUD grants awarded to Mississippi include Emergency Shelter Grants of over $1.4 million to the City of Jackson and State of Mississippi and over $4.3 million for Continuum of Care Grants to Jackson/Hinds County ($118,650) and Mississippi Balance of State ($4.2M).
Today's announcement is also part of a larger
federal strategy being embraced by state and local leaders to end
long-term or
chronic homelessness for persons who are mentally ill, addicted or physically
disabled. To date, more than 60 states, cities and county governments are developing
their own 10-year plans to end chronic homelessness. This is also the third consecutive
year funding for homeless assistance has increased to record levels.
"Today's announcement is another example of the Bush Administration's commitment
to help homeless individuals
and families move beyond a life on the streets,"
said Jackson. "These grants renew our pledge to thousands of local programs who
are on the front lines of helping house and serve our homeless neighbors."
- HUD
is awarding two types of grants:
- Continuum
of Care 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 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 will 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. For a more detailed local summary of the funding announced today, visit the Internet.
Most of the funding announced throughout Mississippi today, over $4.3 in
Continuum of Care grants, is awarded competitively to local programs to
meet the needs of their homeless clients. Continuum grants fund outreach
and assessment programs at the local level as well as provide transitional and
permanent housing to homeless persons
and families.
By contrast, over $1.4
in Emergency Shelter Grants are being awarded to 2 Mississippi communities
(City of Jackson and State of Mississippi) 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.
Approximately
$140 million of the 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.
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.
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