Domestic Violence Program Provides Housing With Federal Grant
January 2, 2008, MURFREESBORO – A $63,579 U.S. Department of Housing and Rural Development grant will allow the Domestic Violence Program to provide transitional housing for its clients, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced.
“HUD’s Continuum of Care Assistance programs provide funding for transitional housing, permanent housing and a variety of supportive services for homeless persons, helping them on their way to becoming more self-sufficient,” Gordon said.
The Domestic Violence Program will use the grant to rent two three-bedroom transitional housing units and provide utilities for families with children or single women, according to Director Deborah Johnson.
“These units are for clients who come out of our shelter after approximately a six-week stay, and they’ve finished with the safety part, but can’t get housing on their own yet. They can stay six to nine months, get a job and save money to get their own housing,” Johnson said.
The Domestic Violence Program will choose the persons who will live in the transitional units, and a part-time employee will work 10 hours a week to ensure they are taking appropriate steps toward self-sufficiency.
The transitional housing units will be located close to the Rover lines to help clients get to and from work.
“We used to use quite a bit of money on cab fare. Now, we buy Rover tickets which our clients can use to get anywhere in Murfreesboro,” Johnson said.
The Domestic Violence Program worked with the mayor’s Homeless Council to apply for the grant. This was the first time they applied for a HUD Supportive Housing Program grant. The grant is for two years.
