Pima County agencies and nonprofit organizations striving to end homelessness received more than $1 million in federal funding out of $6.5 million total awarded in Arizona.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Monday announced its most recent round of Continuum of Care grants, totaling $355 million nationwide. The funding builds on an earlier round of grants announced in March, when local agencies received about $7.4 million.
The grants are highly competitive and applicants must prove their program’s effectiveness to be funded, said Steve Nelson, who oversees the Continuum of Care grant process for the county.
“We’re not in the business of managing homelessness anymore,” he said. “We’re in the business of ending it, and the plans reflect that goal.”
Four of the five grants awarded locally went to programs within Pima County’s Community Services, Employment and Training Department. In addition, Old Pueblo Community Services received $64,000.
Many of the local programs focus on rapid rehousing: getting homeless clients into a stable environment while providing employment support services, Nelson said.
Rapid rehousing program allows clients to “transition in place,” initially relying on rental assistance then incrementally taking over the full rent themselves. This approach is far better than asking clients to move to another place — and have to come up with first and last month’s rent — once they are stabilized, Nelson said.
Between June 2014 and June 2015, Pima County’s Project Advent — which just secured $418,000 in HUD grant funding — was able to house and transition in place 158 people, including 36 children, Nelson said.
The Continuum of Care grants are meant to further the Obama administration’s goal, set in 2010, to prevent and eradicate homelessness. Since 2010, veteran homelessness has fallen by 36 percent, chronic homelessness is down by 22 percent, and family homelessness declined by 19 percent, according to HUD.
“We know how to end homelessness, and these grants support local programs that are proven to prevent and end homelessness as we’ve come to know it,” said HUD Secretary Julian Castro. “As we continue to make progress toward ending homelessness in this country, HUD is challenging communities to use more cost-effective solutions to help those experiencing homelessness.”
