|
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (non-Recovery Act)
-
April 22, 2009. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Families and Children - Street Outreach Program for Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth. Applications are being accepted for street-based services to runaway and homeless, and street youth, who have been subjected to, or are at risk of being subjected to, sexual abuse, prostitution, or sexual exploitation. $5 million is expected to be awarded, subject to appropriation, to fund approximately 50 grants. Read grant announcement. Application deadline is June 8, 2009.
-
April 3, 2009. U.S. Department of Labor - Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). Up to $12 million is available with a maximum award of $300,000 for grants that serve Urban Areas and $200,000 for grants that serve Non-Urban areas. The announcement was amended on April 16 to include a corrected list of 75 largest cities. Application deadline is May 4. Read grant announcement.
-
March 30, 2009. VA announces new opportunities to create housing for homeless and at risk veterans on VA campuses in Georgia, Wyoming, Maine, Connecticut, and Illinois under Enhanced Use Lease program. RFP responses due May 29, 2009.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (Recovery Act)
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (“Recovery Act”) provides a broad range of new federal housing, health, employment and other resources to states, local governments, and community organizations that can be used to help prevent and end homelessness. A summary of this new funding is provided below. Please visit our Recovery Act page information on how these funds are being allocated and for information on application procedures as they are announced by each agency.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Fund. $1.5 billion for homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing activities to be distributed through this formula program to states, cities and local governments.
Neighborhood Stabilization Program. $2 billion to assist states, local governments and non profits entities or consortia of nonprofit entities, which may submit proposals in partnership with for profit entities, in the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed, vacant properties in order to create more affordable housing and reduce neighborhood blight. These funds are in addition to $3.92 billion made available in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, but unlike the earlier funds will be awarded through competitive application. Renter Protection: provisions are included that tenants in foreclosed properties purchased with these new Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds receive a minimum 90 days notice before eviction and may be allowed to remain for the term of their leases.
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). $1 billion
HOME. $2.250 billion to coordinate with Low Income Housing Tax Credits to jumpstart stalled housing development projects.
Public Housing Capital Fund. $4 billion to Public Housing Authorities (PHA) for building repair and modernization, of which $3 billion will be distributed by existing formula grant and $1 billion will be awarded by September 30, 2009 by competition for priority investments including investments that leverage private sector funding for renovations and energy conservation retrofit investments.
Promoting HUD Assisted Housing Stability and Increased Energy Efficiency
$2 billion for full year payment to landlords participating in the Section 8 Project Based program and $250 million to assist owners of Section 202, Section 811 and Section 8 properties increase energy efficiency, which may include new insulation, windows, and furnaces.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Community Health Centers: $500 million for services; and $1.5 billion for construction, renovation and equipment, and acquisition of health information technology systems. The $500 million in services money "are to be used to support new sites and service areas, to increase services at existing sites, and to provide supplemental payments for spikes in uninsured populations.
Community Services Block Grant: $1 billion with 1% of the funds made available to each state to be used for benefits enrollment coordination activities relating to the identification and enrollment of eligible individuals and families in federal, state, and local benefit programs. States may elect to allow services to be provided with these funds to individuals and families with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level during fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
Child Care and Development Block Grant: $2 billion. Expected to serve 300,000 children.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Education for Homeless Children and Youth: $70 million to be distributed to states within 60 days in proportion to the number of homeless students identified during the 2007-2008 school year. States shall then subgrant the funds by competition or formula to local educational agencies within 120 days based on number of homeless students.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Weatherization Assistance Program. $5 billion for this program which assists low income individuals and families make their homes more energy efficient. Income eligibility ceiling increased from 150% to 200% of poverty level and average funding assistance per dwelling unit increased to $6500.
FEMA
Emergency Food and Shelter Program: $100 million
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Violence Against Women Transitional Housing. $50 million included as part of a $225 million appropriation to the Office on Violence Against Women for prevention and prosecution programs. DOJ to prepare intended spending plan for this and all other funding for DOJ programs under this Act within 60 days.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training. $2.95 billion for WIA formula grants to states including $500 million for adults, $1.25 billion for dislocated workers and $1.2 billion for youth programs. Increase age limit for youth funding from 21 to 24. $50 million provided for YouthBuild and for program years 2008 and 209 would allow participation by young people who've dropped out of high school and re-enrolled in alternative school if that re-enrollment is part of a sequential service strategy.
Job Corps. $250 million for construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of ready to go Job Corps Centers. Up to 15 percent for operations, which may include training for careers in the energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental protection industries.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)
USDA Rural Housing: $200 million will support over $11 billion in direct and guaranteed single family loans.
USDA Community Facilities Program: $130 million will support over $1.2 billion in loans and grants for essential rural community facilities.
Emergency Food Assistance (commodities purchase for food banks): $150 million of which up to $50 million may be used for costs associated with the distribution of commodities.
Increase to SNAP (Food Stamps) 13.6% increase food stamp benefit beginning April 2009. Suspends for 18 months the 3 month time limit on assistance that many unemployed childless adults face. Click here to view USDA memo and chart of new maximum monthly food stamp allotments by household size.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Under the Recovery Act, the VA will be making an estimated $700 million in one-time Economic Recovery payments of $250 to eligible Veterans and survivors as early as June 2009. Eligible veterans are those who received compensation, pension, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), or spina bifida benefits at any time between November 2008 and January 2009. VA will use its existing payment records to determine eligibility for the $250 payment and beneficiaries will receive their payments the same way they receive their monthly VA benefits (either by direct deposit or mail).
This one-time payment is tax free and is not countable in determining eligibility for VA pension or Parents’ DIC. adult Social Security beneficiaries, SSI recipients, except those receiving Medicaid in care facilities and Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries are also eligible under ARRA for this one time payment. Therefore, VA beneficiaries who also receive benefits from the Social Security Administration or Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries will receive their $250 Economic Recovery payment through those agencies, and will not receive a separate payment from the VA.
Read latest Federal Register Notice of unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless under Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. [TEXT] [PDF]
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness convened, with participation of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, a national tele-summit in October focused on how the $3.92 billion Neighborhood Stabilization Program offers opportunities for communities to help at risk and homeless families.
|
