Related story: Report of the HUD Grant Awards: Who Got What
Lisa Jackson, president of the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, announced today the award of over $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help homeless individuals and families in Pinellas County find a stable home and receive critically needed services. In addition to this competitive grant, an additional Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) allocation of $230,752 for St. Petersburg and Pinellas County—double the amount received last year—will help fund the operation of local shelters and fund related social service and homeless prevention programs.
“We congratulate everyone who participated in this intense national competition and worked collaboratively to secure increased federal funding for our area,” stated Jackson, who works as the vice president of grant development for Family Resources in Pinellas Park.
Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless is the lead agency that submitted the application to HUD on behalf of ten agencies seeking funding for nineteen new and ongoing programs in Pinellas County. “This funding will help us to continue to meet the critical housing needs of the county’s growing homeless population,” stated Sarah Snyder, the Coalition’s executive director.
Boley Centers, Inc. is one such agency providing much needed housing opportunities. Through this funding, Boley will provide supported housing for 113 adults who normally would have great difficulty getting off the streets because they suffer from disabling conditions such as severe mentally illness or chronic substance abuse. HUD-funded programs such as Boley Centers’ Pinellas County Safe Haven, a 25-bed facility housing chronically homeless people who have not responded to traditional treatment approaches, have filled a critical void. "Boley has helped me to be clean and sober for one year and to get my life back. The Safe Haven gives me a stable environment...I was able to go from periodic use of medications to [consistent] use of medication [for my mental illness]," stated one grateful resident. Gary MacMath, Boley’s president and CEO, stated that his agency was also awarded 50 Shelter Plus Care tenant-based vouchers to house homeless individuals with special needs.
“We are extremely proud of the work that Ms. Snyder and the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless do for this community. This funding will enable us to more adequately address the issues cited in this county’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness,” stated Clearwater Councilmember Carlen Petersen, who serves at the chair of the Homeless Leadership Network, the planning and policy arm of the Coalition.
“This is wonderful news! In this difficult time, it’s so nice to know there's still help out there,” beamed Jennifer Stracick, executive director of Alpha House of Pinellas County, whose transitional housing program will assist 25 homeless pregnant women and teens with the HUD funds her agency was awarded.
Nationwide, HUD awarded approximately $1.416 billion under the 2008 Continuum of Care (CoC) competitive grants process, designed to address the problems of homelessness in a comprehensive manner with other federal agencies. HUD also announced planned awards for $160 million in Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) which provide homeless prevention and emergency assistance.
HUD is the federal agency that works to help the nation's communities meet their development needs, spur economic growth in distressed neighborhoods, provide housing assistance for the poor, increase home ownership opportunities, help rehabilitate and develop moderate and low-cost housing, and enforce the nation's fair housing laws. HUD has shifted its focus primarily to housing, but is committed to supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS.
The number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Pinellas County has outpaced local funding to provide shelter and housing. According to the annual Point-In-Time count and survey conducted by PCCH in January 2007, there are about 5,195 people who are not living in their own homes in Pinellas County. It is anticipated that the results of the most recent Point-In-Time count, conducted last month, will again show an increase in the number of people without housing, especially families with children. This growing situation has placed more demands on the limited number of shelter beds currently available in our county. As a result, these county residents may end up sleeping in the streets, doubled-up with friends or relatives or residing in unsafe structures not suitable for habitation. The official results of the count will be released by PCCH this spring.
The Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. is the county-wide organization charged with coordinating services to homeless individuals and families, generating revenues to help fund homeless services programs, and providing information and education to the general public about homelessness in the county. We are a membership organization, with more than 40 organizations and public agencies working together to address the needs of the homeless. The Coalition also operates the Cold Night Shelter program, which has sheltered hundreds of people on ten cold nights this winter. Persons interested in contributing volunteer time or donations may contact the Coalition at (727) 528-5763 or visit our website at www.pinellashomeless.org.
