The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $6.4 million to public and private programs that assist Rhode Island’s homeless.
“This funding is a result of the most competitive grant processes in the federal government, and it serves a vital need of providing homes and services to those who need them the most,” said Taylor Caswell, HUD’s regional director for New England. “Consistently receiving funding for programs in Rhode Island speaks volumes of the coordination involved in making (last week’s) announcement possible.”
Joining him for the announcement in Pawtucket were Gov. Donald L. Carcieri; U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Pawtucket Mayor James Doyle; Richard H. Godfrey Jr., executive director of Rhode Island Housing; and Dennis B. Langley, president and CEO of the Urban League of Rhode Island.
“I’m very pleased that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing $6.4 million to help address the complex issue of homelessness and to support the work of nearly 50 innovative programs in our state,” Carcieri said in a statement.
“Since 2003, we’ve allocated $7.5 million to the Neighborhood Opportunities Program each year, creating 1031 new affordable homes. A year ago, voters approved the $50 million bond to create even more affordable housing. And the state’s new Housing First Rhode Island program is helping to move those who have been homeless for years into stable housing by providing them with the services they need. These funds will help build on those successes.”
Rhode Island Housing applied for the grants – working with the R.I. Housing Resources Commission’s Office of Homelessness to ensure that the projects were consistent with the state’s 10-year plan to end homelessness – and now will administer them for 24 partner agencies statewide.
“As rents, home prices and utility costs continue to remain out of reach for many,” said Godfrey, the agency’s executive director, “more and more Rhode Islanders are finding themselves homeless and in need of permanent supportive housing and services.”
The HUD money includes $5.6 million in Continuum of Care Grants to help provide permanent housing and supportive services to homeless individuals, and nearly $750,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant, to help operate local shelters and related social services and homelessness-prevention programs.
“At a time when many Rhode Islanders are struggling, this federal funding is welcome news,” said Reed, who is a member of both the Appropriations Committee, which oversees federal spending on the program, and the Banking Committee, which oversees federal housing policy. “Our community groups work hard to help those in need, and I’m glad we were able to … provide a measure of help.” •
A longer version of this article, including a full list of the HUD grants, was published on www.PBN.com on Jan. 7.
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