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Media Center Press Releases Baltimore City Awards $8.7 Million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds for Homlessness Resources
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE CITY AWARDS $8.7 MILLON IN AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) FUNDS FOR HOMELESSNESS RESOURCES Baltimore, MD (August 25, 2009) – Today, Baltimore City’s Homeless Services and the United Way of Central Maryland are proud to announce that $8,709,604 from the federal government’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program has been awarded to local organizations. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), these one-time funds will be distributed no later than September 30 and must be used within three years. An RFP was issued in July for the funds and a volunteer committee provided evaluations and recommendations for the awards. These funds will be used to help advance the goals of “The Journey Home,” the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The remaining funds will be used for evaluation and administrative costs associated with the program that may potentially fund additional projects. United Way of Central Maryland is acting as the fiscal agent of the plan and of the federal stimulus funds. “In this economic environment, all resources that we have to end homelessness are greatly needed. I would like to again thank our Congressional Delegation for their efforts to provide this valuable resource to Baltimore’s most vulnerable residents,” said Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. The 13 organizations that received funds are: AIDS Interfaith Residential Services (AIRS) - $600,000 to support three System Navigators who will outreach, identify, assess and assist unaccompanied homeless young people, age 14-24, to gain access to housing and support services. Associated Catholic Charities - $1,000,000 as part of a joint program of Mercy Supportive Housing and Associated Catholic Charities to provide rapid re-housing to homeless families. The target population includes single mothers with children, single fathers with children and intact families. It will operate out of Catholic Charities' My Sister's Place Women's Center. Baltimore City Department of Social Services (Homeless Emergency Environmental Services Unit)* - $1,349,407 to provide case management and financial assistance to tenants at risk of court ordered eviction related to non-payment or landlord foreclosure to prevent homelessness. Baltimore City Department of Social Services (Homeless Emergency Environmental Services Unit) - $162,000 to enhance an already existing Motel Shelter Program to primarily serve difficult to place homeless families and adults for no more than 30 days, if no appropriate shelter is available and rental housing is identified. Baltimore Healthcare Access - $1,000,000 to provide security deposits for clients participating in the 10-Year Plan's Housing Choice Voucher Program. Baltimore Healthcare Access and Hands In Partnership will identify clients to re-house or prevent homelessness via security deposits and utility deposits and payments. The project includes a Hands In Partnership Referral Coordinator and a Baltimore Healthcare Access Homeless Outreach Advocate. Baltimore Homeless Services in partnership - $683,804 to enact a strategy to provide eviction prevention and ongoing case management assistance (up to 18 months) in low-income communities city-wide by offering these services at Baltimore’s six Community Action Centers (CACs). These funds would be allocated to People Encouraging People (PEP), to provide outreach and case management services to clients at the CACs. Fusion Partnerships (Power Inside) - $300,000 to engage, house and stabilize women who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. Services provided will include short-term rental assistance, linkages to the Housing Choice Voucher Program and long-term support. Health Care for the Homeless - $1,000,000 to rapidly re-house medically fragile individuals experiencing homelessness. Clients will be recruited from the streets, shelters, Health Care for the Homeless Convalescent Care Program and the HCH waiting room. Short and medium-term housing assistance will be accompanied by case management and access to long-term rent subsidies. Homeless Persons Representation Project* - $285,000 to prevent homelessness by providing a major line of defense against eviction from subsidized housing in Baltimore City by providing advice and representation to extremely low-income households at risk of eviction. Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.* - $529,593 to provide legal services to prevent homelessness to low-income tenants not otherwise served facing eviction in rent and District court. Prisoner's Aid - $463,800 to place homeless individuals or families in rental housing in Baltimore City, paying for rent and utilities for 12 months. Clients will also receive intensive case management. Public Justice Center* - $336,000 to prevent homelessness by providing legal services to low-income tenants in Baltimore City who are facing imminent eviction in the District Court for nonpayment of rent and in the Circuit Court because their landlord is in foreclosure. St. Vincent de Paul - $1,000,000 to a collaboration between St. Vincent de Paul's Sarah's Hope Mount Street Shelter and other programs to place homeless city families swiftly into permanent housing using direct financial assistance for security deposits, rent and utilities combined with case management, support services and skills training. *part of the court-based eviction prevention program) # # #
About United Way of Central Maryland For more than 80 years, United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) has been the region’s human service leader. Its mission is to improve people’s lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities. UWCM supports programs and initiatives in the city of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. UWCM is dedicated to education, income and health & safety - making sure children get the early child care they need to succeed in school, that young adults graduate, that families have the means to access affordable and stable housing and that people are free from violence and abuse at home. By encouraging all people in central Maryland to give, advocate or volunteer, UWCM wants to show the power of living united. It’s about connecting people and creating communities. For more information, visit www.uwcm.org or call 410.547.8000. About Baltimore Homeless Services The mission of Baltimore Homeless Services is to make homelessness a rare and brief experience in Baltimore City by serving as a catalyst for the creation of affordable housing, Baltimore Homeless Services (BHS) was created in 1987 and is the entity that leads the Baltimore Continuum of Care and administers federal, state and city funding to over 60 nonprofit and faith-based organizations throughout the city. These organizations include emergency shelters, drop-in centers, transitional housing facilities and permanent housing programs. In 2008, Baltimore Homeless Services moved from the Health Department to the Mayor’s Office to implement Baltimore’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. For more information, visit www.baltimorecity.gov/mayor or call 410.396.7370.
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