Billsman
December 28th, 2005, 3:38:30 PM
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20051228/1022587.asp
Programs and agencies geared at stamping out homelessness in Erie County will get $9.4 million in 2006 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The grants, to be announced locally Thursday, include nearly $3.7 million for new projects and services.
In 2005, programs in Erie County received no new funds through HUD's annual competitive grant-making process.
But local advocates for the homeless said the latest round of grants was smoothing over the disappointment from the 2005 grant announcements.
"For the first time in a long time, we got everything we asked for from HUD," said William T. O'Connell, executive director of the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which works with a few dozen community organizations in applying for the federal awards.
The grants are part of $1.3 billion in funding announced recently by HUD Secretary Alphonso R. Jackson.
Shelters and other homeless service providers in New York State will get a total of $127.5 million. Also in Western New York, one program in Orleans County received $65,450, and three programs in Cattaraugus County received a total of $281,066.
The Erie County Department of Mental Health will get the lion's share of the new federal funds - $2.1 million over three years - to provide rental stipends and case management for chronically homeless people who have mental illnesses or addictions to drugs or alcohol.
The money will enable the department to pay for 60 additional apartments - addressing what advocates for the homeless have described as one of the biggest challenges in Buffalo and Erie County.
"Affordable housing is really difficult for the mentally ill," said Don Dauman, the county's coordinator of mental disability services.
Vacant space for people with mental illnesses was depleted earlier this year when the YWCA of Western New York closed its North Street adult care facility, which housed 60 people. Those residents were placed in other housing.
Also in Erie County, Neighborhood Legal Services will get $211,559 over two years to help chronically homeless clients apply for federal Supplemental Security Income.
Housing advocates have long maintained that many chronically homeless people are eligible for federal benefits but don't get them because of the challenging application process.
The cost of caring for the chronically homeless, in area shelters and through public assistance, then falls more heavily on local taxpayers. Lawyers for Neighborhood Legal Services estimate county taxpayers could save at least $1,900 per year for each homeless client removed from the public assistance rolls. The grant for Neighborhood Legal Services will target at least 75 clients per year.
Programs and agencies geared at stamping out homelessness in Erie County will get $9.4 million in 2006 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The grants, to be announced locally Thursday, include nearly $3.7 million for new projects and services.
In 2005, programs in Erie County received no new funds through HUD's annual competitive grant-making process.
But local advocates for the homeless said the latest round of grants was smoothing over the disappointment from the 2005 grant announcements.
"For the first time in a long time, we got everything we asked for from HUD," said William T. O'Connell, executive director of the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which works with a few dozen community organizations in applying for the federal awards.
The grants are part of $1.3 billion in funding announced recently by HUD Secretary Alphonso R. Jackson.
Shelters and other homeless service providers in New York State will get a total of $127.5 million. Also in Western New York, one program in Orleans County received $65,450, and three programs in Cattaraugus County received a total of $281,066.
The Erie County Department of Mental Health will get the lion's share of the new federal funds - $2.1 million over three years - to provide rental stipends and case management for chronically homeless people who have mental illnesses or addictions to drugs or alcohol.
The money will enable the department to pay for 60 additional apartments - addressing what advocates for the homeless have described as one of the biggest challenges in Buffalo and Erie County.
"Affordable housing is really difficult for the mentally ill," said Don Dauman, the county's coordinator of mental disability services.
Vacant space for people with mental illnesses was depleted earlier this year when the YWCA of Western New York closed its North Street adult care facility, which housed 60 people. Those residents were placed in other housing.
Also in Erie County, Neighborhood Legal Services will get $211,559 over two years to help chronically homeless clients apply for federal Supplemental Security Income.
Housing advocates have long maintained that many chronically homeless people are eligible for federal benefits but don't get them because of the challenging application process.
The cost of caring for the chronically homeless, in area shelters and through public assistance, then falls more heavily on local taxpayers. Lawyers for Neighborhood Legal Services estimate county taxpayers could save at least $1,900 per year for each homeless client removed from the public assistance rolls. The grant for Neighborhood Legal Services will target at least 75 clients per year.