In an effort to end homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will make $2 billion available for local homeless programs.
HUD will fund this venture through Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program in an effort to encourage housing first. Housing first is the idea that families need housing before they can take care of other needs such as alcohol or substance abuse, health and other needs.
HUD stated it is continuing incentives to adopt best practices for rapid-rehousing and housing first, an approach that has proven effective in helping communities to make progress on their goal of ending homelessness. It also explained it hopes this new funding will help move families quickly into permanent housing.
The department’s Continuum of Care homeless assistance grants support a wide variety of local programs from street outreach and assessment programs to transitional and permanent housing for individuals including veterans, youth, families and persons experiencing long-term or chronic homelessness.
“We know these grants can make a huge difference in ending homelessness” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said. “HUD continues to forge deep relationships with our local partners to invest in proven programs that are working to reduce the scale of homelessness in their communities.”
Next week, Carson will speak at the 2017 National Conference on Ending Homelessness organized by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. HUD announced he will be speaking at the conference in Washington D.C. on Tuesday from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
