Spokane garners “bonus” grant from HUD to provide homeless assistance
For release: August 23, 2010
Contacts:
Spokane, Wash.--Through effective community collaboration and solid planning, Spokane has received a “bonus” grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to help homeless individuals and families.
HUD awarded Spokane nearly $224,000 through its McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act program. The bonus is in addition to the $2.8 million regular grant the City received to assist homeless households throughout the greater Spokane region. The money will go to the Volunteers of America’s scattered-site housing program, which will provide 14 one-bedroom units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless single adults with disabilities.
“Funding from these kinds of federal grants is key in our effort to end homelessness of our most vulnerable and disabled citizens who reside on our streets and in our shelters,” says Jerrie Allard, the City’s Human Services Director. “This is the first time in five years that Spokane has received a bonus grant, and our communitywide collaborative effort on our Continuum of Care plan for the homeless deserves the credit.”
Spokane is one of about 500 communities across the nation that has a Continuum of Care network of housing and service providers, recognized by HUD to compete for such awards. A continuum of care system is designed to address the critical problem of homelessness through a coordinated community-based approach by identifying needs and building action steps (solutions) to address those needs.
“More individuals and families in our community are struggling with homelessness as a result of the down economy,” Allard says. “Now, more than ever, it’s important for our community to reach out and help.”