HUD ANNOUNCES RECORD $5.3 MILLION TO HELP HOMELESS IN MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY
Memphis and Shelby County to receive $5,275,641

MEMPHIS - HUD's Memphis Field Office Director Yvonne Leander announced Memphis and Shelby County will receive $5,275,641 to provide shelter and care for persons and families without a home of their own. The funding, that includes $4,919,330 in Continuum of Care grants and $356,311 in Emergency Shelter grants, will support local
projects on the front lines caring for people who might otherwise be living on the streets.

Leander announced the funding at the Alpha Omega Veterans Services Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for its new 32-unit permanent housing facility for homeless and disabled veterans. Alpha Omega Veterans Services,
a member agency of the nationally recognized Memphis/Shelby County Continuum of Care, has assisted over 3,000 veterans since its founding in 1987. "We are here today to celebrate the grand opening of Alpha Omega Veterans Services new 32 unit permanent housing facility and I'm proud that our work at HUD builds on the values of compassion, truth and dignity that Alpha Omega stands for," said Leander.

Memphis Mayor Willie W. Herenton lauded "the excellent collaborative efforts of the City and County that have benefited our citizens to the tune of $5.3 million, almost one million dollars more than last year, making this housing initiative and many other needed services possible."

Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton said, "With this new construction, we can give back to our veterans who have made such great sacrifices to protect our country. We celebrate the grand opening of a place they can call home, where they can get the assistance and services they need."

Continuum of Care grants are awarded competitively to local programs to meet the needs of their homeless clients. Continuum grants fund a wide variety of programs�from street outreach and assessment programs to transitional
and permanent housing for homeless persons and families. Locally, the $4,919,300 million will provide:

• Funding to cover one year of operating costs, services and a team of mobile outreach workers for the 32-unit veterans facility.



• Funding for permanent supportive housing, with one agency to receive $750,000 for operating cost of a new 40-bed facility and two other facilities to receive funding for one year of operating costs.



• Funding for 5 facilities to provide transitional housing and services for approximately 525 men and women in recovery from substance abuse, serious mental illness, or both.



• Funding for life skills and occupational therapy to help clients learn or re-learn life skills that most of us take
  for granted.



• Funding for 7 programs to provide transitional housing and intensive services to 315 families.



• Funding to provide detoxification assessment and triage for 950 homeless people with chronic alcohol and/or drug addictions.

Emergency Shelter Grants are allocated based on a formula to state and local governments to create, improve and operate emergency shelters for homeless persons. Locally, the allocation of $356,311 can be used in support of such essential services as job training, health care, drug/alcohol treatment, childcare and homelessness prevention activities.

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.

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