Hamilton County homelessness programs get $12.4M

On Feb. 13, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Strategies to End Homelessness more than $12.4 million for the upcoming fiscal year, providing funding to 17 partner organizations for the renewal of 29 programs in Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

The funding comes from HUD's Continuum of Care program, a competitive grant program used to fund services ranging from street outreach to direct housing assistance. The disbursement of $1.5 billion will help fund more than 7,000 local homeless housing and service programs across the United States.

HUD estimates that between 600,000 and 700,000 people are homeless in America at any given time, based upon data from periodic "point in time" counts conducted in approximately 3,000 cities and counties.

"The evidence is clear that every dollar we spend on those programs that help find a stable home for our homeless neighbors not only saves money but quite literally saves lives," HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a prepared release. "We know these programs work and we know these grants can mean the difference between homeless persons and families finding stable housing or living on our streets."

Created in 1996 and formerly known as the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless, Strategies to End Homelessness seeks to coordinate local resources to prevent at-risk households from becoming homeless, to house people who are currently homeless, and to reduce the number of chronically homeless individuals.

Partner organizations include Bethany House Services; Caracole, Inc.; Center for Independent Living Options, Inc.; Center for Respite Care; City Gospel Mission; Cincinnati Union Bethel; Drop Inn Center; Downtown Cincinnati Inc.; Excel Development Corp.; Freestore Foodbank; Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services; Grace Place Catholic Worker Community; Interfaith Hospitality Network; Joseph House; Lighthouse Youth Services; Mercy Franciscan at St. John; Mental Health Access Point; Over-the-Rhine Community Housing; Ohio Valley Goodwill; Prospect House; The Salvation Army; St. Francis-St. Joseph Catholic Worker House; Talbert House; Tom Geiger Guest House; Tender Mercies; and YWCA of Greater Cincinnati.

HUD will announce funding for new homeless assistance programs later this year.

Previous reading on BC:
Planning Commission Friday: Kirby Road School, Wasson Way, land sales (1/17/13)
Cincinnati leaders to visit Columbus, learn about supportive housing (8/23/10)
Ordinance gives Lighthouse OK for Corryville shelter (6/30/10)
Cincinnati approves funding for OTR permanent supportive housing (7/2/09)
Cincinnati homelessness strategy close to implementation (5/20/09)