PROVIDENCE, RI – U.S. Senator Jack Reed; U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) New England Regional Administrator Barbara Fields; and Rhode Island Housing’s Executive Director Richard Godfrey announced yesterday that Rhode Island will receive $4.6 million in federal Continuum of Care funding to combat homelessness.
“This federal funding is a smart investment in reducing homelessness in Rhode Island. It will help keep families off the streets and give them an opportunity to return to self-sufficiency and independence. We are committed to preventing and ending homelessness throughout the state, and these funds are vital to keeping that commitment,” said Sen. Reed, the author of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which President Obama signed into law in May of 2009. In addition to boosting targeted homelessness assistance and prevention grant programs going forward, Reed’s legislation mandated that the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness produce a “national strategic plan” to end homelessness, which became the White House’s new strategy called “Opening Doors.”
These new funds, made available through HUD’s Supportive Housing and Shelter + Care programs, support a multi-layered approach to addressing the economic, physical, and social needs of struggling Rhode Islanders, and help them obtain housing and supportive services.
“We are excited to deliver these resources to Rhode Island,” noted Barbara Fields, the New England Regional Administrator for HUD. “Given the tough budget environment, it is good news that HUD can continue to invest its resources to help our local partners throughout the state.”
“This new timely assistance will provide funding for safe and healthy homes and critical services for Rhode Island’s most vulnerable populations,” said Richard Godfrey, Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing. “Continuum of Care grants are a key and vital ingredient to preventing homelessness and meeting the need in our state. The grants support permanent and transitional homes, as well as a wide range of supportive services, such as job training, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and childcare.”
The HUD grants will help fund more than 40 homeless programs throughout Rhode Island, including Family Resources Community Action; Newport County Community Mental Health Center; ACCESS-RI; Amos House; The Agape Center; Constitution Hill Supportive Housing Program; Crossroads Apartments North Kingstown; Crossroads Providence Transitional Housing; East Bay Coalition for the Homeless Transitional Housing; East, Earl and Warwick Avenue; Family Case Management; First Step Program; Fran Conway House of Hope; Gateway to Independence; Gateway Transitional Housing Program; Gemini Apartments; Greater Westerly Supportive Housing Expansion Initiative; Has will Street; Housing Locator Phase II; Johnston Veterans Program; Lucy’s Hearth Transitional Expansion Program; MAP Transitional Housing Program; Operation Stand Down Rhode Island/West Warwick; Permanent Housing for Disabled Adults; Permanent Housing for Disabled Elders; Rhode Island Family Shelter; Rhode Island Homeless Information System; SSTARBIRTH; The Key; The Sarah Francis Grant Homestead; Transitional Housing – New Hope for Families; Transitional Housing Project; Travelers Aid Housing Tower; Travelers Aid of RI; Urban League of Rhode Island Safe Haven I and II; Winter Avenue; Ledge Street; and McKinney Transitional Shelter; as well as Rhode Island Housing.
Contact: Faye Zuckerman, 401-277-1564 or fzuckerman@rhodeislandhousing.org
Jane D’Arcy, 401-453-4748 or jdarcy@addventures.com
About Rhode Island Housing
Together with its partners, Rhode Island Housing works to ensure that all people who live and work in Rhode Island can afford a healthy, attractive home that meets their needs. Rhode Island Housing uses all of its resources to provide low-interest loans, grants, education and assistance to help Rhode Islanders find, rent, buy, build and keep a good home. Created by the General Assembly in 1973, Rhode Island Housing is a privately funded public purpose corporation.
