WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt today announced $3,078,047 in new federal assistance to help local human service organizations combat homelessness in Barnstable, Norfolk and Plymouth Counties.

Rep. Delahunt announced that the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is providing two sizable allocations of federal funding for emergency shelter and services for the region’s homeless population including: $885,792 to Cape Cod & The Islands and $2,192,255 for the South Shore.  These awards will be distributed to local non-profit agencies that provide direct aid to local residents who are facing an immediate crisis. 

“This year has been another extremely challenging one for many of the housing and human service organizations in our region that are working with families and individuals who are homeless,” Delahunt said. “While the federal government must continue to do more to help address the chronic problem of homelessness, this assistance from HUD provides an added boost to the outstanding work being done by our local homeless service providers at our shelters, housing authorities and social service agencies. These individuals on the front lines, who deal with the emergencies and the increasing numbers of homeless families needing immediate assistance, are the ones who deserve our special appreciation,” Delahunt added.

In awarding these grants, the Department of Housing & Urban Development considers an array of factors including an area’s population, unemployment and poverty rates.  The priority is on providing emergency shelter, permanent and transitional housing and social services such as health care, job training, child care and mental health counseling.  About $1.5 billion will be disbursed nationally under the program.

Estella Fritzinger, Director of the Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands and on behalf of the Leadership Council to End Homelessness on Cape Cod and the Islands said, “We are delighted that the region is to receive these HUD funds to continue to provide affordable permanent housing and supportive services for those most in need in our community."

Dennis Carman, the President of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County and Co-Chair of the Plymouth County Housing Alliance said, “We are so very thankful for the recent grant awards from the U. S Department of Housing and Urban Development to members of our Plymouth County Housing Alliance totaling $675,000 in assistance for our area’s homeless families and individuals.  These life saving funds will allow several of our region’s most dedicated non profit organizations to develop additional permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and support services for our homeless neighbors.  Ending homelessness, though an ambitious goal, is possible with the help of all levels of government, the compassion and good works of quality charitable organizations and the support of the community at large.”

Federal assistance being disbursed to the South Shore, Cape Cod and the Islands by HUD includes:

• $420,360 for the Aids Support Group of Cape Cod under the Shelter Plus Care Program, which provides housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless persons with disabilities including a serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and HIV/AIDS.
• $933,598 to the City of Quincy under the Supportive Housing Program, which  provides housing assistance, in addition to mental health services, job training, drug/alcohol treatment and domestic violence counseling.
• $1,133,532 to the Quincy Housing Authority under the Shelter Plus Care Program.
• $125,125 to the South Shore Housing Corporation under the Supportive Housing Program.
• $220,112 to the Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod under the Supportive Housing Program.
• $44,200 to the Housing For All Corporation of Cape Cod under the Supportive Housing Program.
• $201,120 to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health on Cape Cod under the Shelter Plus Care Program.

Further information is available online at www.hud.gov or through the Congressman’s local offices in Hyannis and Quincy.

 

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