HUD ANNOUNCES $2.8 MILLION TO SUPPORT HOMELESS PROGRAMS IN VERMONT
21 local housing and service programs to benefit from HUD funding

More than 20 homeless programs in Vermont will receive $2.8 million in grants announced today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funding will support the full spectrum or "continuum of care"
for homeless individuals and families - from street outreach and emergency shelter to transitional and permanent housing. (Please see attached list of grantees and grant amounts.)

In addition, the funding provides for critically needed services including job training, child care, substance abuse treatment and mental health. Nationally, HUD is awarding a record $1.5 billion to an unprecedented nearly 6,000
local housing and service programs and anticipates awarding $1.6 billion next year.

"These grants will reach into every corner of the nation, helping individuals and families to move beyond the cycle
of homelessness," said HUD Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi. "We know this record funding will literally save lives
but we must also recognize that there is still a tremendous need to find housing and services for the most
vulnerable among us."

Since 2001, HUD has awarded approximately $10 billion in funding to local communities to support the housing and service needs of homeless individuals and families. The FY 2008 Budget provides $1.6 billion through HUD's
Continuum of Care and Emergency Shelter Grants programs, another record federal investment. This increased level
of funding represents a 55 percent increase over 2001.

Bernardi added, "Homelessness is not a seasonal problem; it's a tragedy being played out on our streets and in our shelters every day. While we're turning an important corner in our understanding of homelessness, we're also
working harder than ever to end the revolving door of homelessness, especially for those experiencing mental illness, addictions and chronic disabilities."

HUD's funding is provided in two ways:

• HUD's Continuum of Care programs provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons. In
  addition, Continuum grants fund important services including job training, health care, mental health
  counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. In Vermont, $2.5 million in Continuum of Care
  grants were awarded.
  
  
• Emergency Shelter Grants provide funds for the operation of local shelters and fund related social service
  and homeless prevention programs. These funds may also support essential services including job training, health care, drug/alcohol treatment, childcare and homelessness prevention activities. By helping to support
  emergency shelter, transitional housing and needed support services, Emergency Shelter Grants are designed
  to move homeless persons away from a life on the street toward permanent housing. In Vermont, $363,129
  was awarded in Emergency Shelter Grants.

The Goal to End Chronic Homelessness

For six years, ending chronic homelessness has been one of President Bush's national goals. Research indicates that approximately 20 percent of all homeless persons experience long-term or chronic homelessness. These studies conclude that this hardest-to-serve population utilizes more than 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 situational homelessness.
To learn more about chronic homelessness, visit the HUD's Chronic Homelessness webpage.

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NOTE: For information on HUD's homeless programs, please contact Kristine Foye at (617) 994-8218 or via email at Kristine.g.foye@hud.gov. For information on a local homeless program, please contact the local Continuum of Care:

• State of Vermont, (802) 828-0294
• Burlington/Chittenden County, (802) 864-7402, ext. 106

SHP:  Supportive Housing Program, designed to develop supportive housing and services that will allow homeless persons to live as independently as possible. Through SHP, homeless individuals will achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or their incomes. These grants are designed to move people away from a life on the street toward self-sufficiency.

SHPR:  Supportive Housing Program renewal grant.

SPC:  Shelter Plus Care, is designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless individuals with disabilities, primarily those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and drugs, and AIDS.

SPCR:  Shelter Plus Care renewal grant.