PROVIDENCE, RI - U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding a total of $5.9 million in Continuum of Care (CoC) grants for Rhode Island homeless assistance programs.  This federal funding will support more than 40 homeless assistance projects that enable providers throughout the state to deliver safe, affordable housing and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island.

“This federal funding helps people in need find a safe place to call home and access supportive services.  Our goal is to help displaced people or people experiencing chronic homelessness to secure a roof over their heads and help them become self-sufficient again. Whether it’s helping a homeless veteran who is struggling with PTSD or a family that is facing an eviction, these grants help stabilize vulnerable individuals and families.  We are committed to preventing and ending homelessness throughout the state, and these federal funds are vital to keeping that commitment,” said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who helped provide nearly $2 billion for the CoC program in the fiscal year 2016 appropriations bill.

The federal grants are distributed by HUD and jointly administered by non-profits throughout the state.  These funds offer a variety of housing and services, including transitional and permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, street outreach, client assessments, and other services.  Grants will also support several new projects that will provide additional supportive housing and rapid rehousing services, and statewide tenant-based rental assistance vouchers.

According to HUD’s 2016 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, a total of 1,160 people across Rhode Island were experiencing homelessness on a single night in late January 2016.   

Senator Reed has been a strong supporter of housing assistance and homelessness prevention initiatives.  Reed is the author of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which President Obama signed into law in May of 2009.  This legislation streamlined and boosted homeless assistance and prevention  programs and required the development of a “national strategic plan” to end homelessness. This plan, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, was produced and led by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and serves as the national roadmap to end veterans’ and chronic homelessness, as well as to end homelessness among children, family, and youth.

State and local homeless projects receiving the federal funding include:

2010 S+C Project: $113,185

2012 Rental Assistance Re-Allocation: $180,871

414 Friendship St.: $73,934

70 Linwood Apartments: $176,915

ACCESS to Home: $320,326

Agape Permanent Supportive Housing Program: $24,055

Amos House Swan Street: $86,819

Burnside Ave. Permanent Supportive Housing: $81,636

CoC Planning Grant: $230,566

Coming Home Permanent Supportive Housing Project: $160,600

Constitution Hill Supportive Housing Program: $133,732

Crossroads Providence Transitional Housing: $144,144

Crossroads Rapid Re-Housing Project for Families: $187,470

East, Earl and Warwick Ave.: $30,185

Eastbay Coalition for the Homeless Transitional Housing Project: $62,057

Fair Street: $38,708

First Step Program: $48,386

Fran Conway House of Hope: $148,721

Gemini Apartments: $27,214

Greater Westerly Supportive Housing Expansion Project: $64,989

Haswill Street: $49,756

Housing the Longest Homeless: $80,233

Ledge Street: $27,925

Lucy's Hearth Transitional Housing Program: $40,352

McKinney Cooperative Shelter: $84,361

Operation Stand Down West Warwick: $172,652

Permanent Housing for Disabled Adults: $90,592

Permanent Housing for Disabled Elders: $129,673

Rhode Island Family Shelter: $67,500

Rhode Island Homeless Management Information System: $97,064

Rhode Island Housing Permanent Supportive Housing Project: $230,272

Sojourner House Rapid Re-Housing: $150,000

Statewide TBRA for the Homeless: $50,563

Supportive Housing Program: $4,246

The Key: $94,482

The Sarah Frances Grant Homestead: $48,643

Transitional Housing Program: $33,077

Transitional Housing Project-BVAC: $31,513

Travelers Aid Housing: $33,083

Travelers Aid of Rhode Island: $51,789