Federal grant funds to help fight homelessness
Bill Hills, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services provided the Grand Prairie City Council Tuesday with details of a $569,746 federal grant that would provide funds for temporary housing assistance.
Hills said the proposal would separate the grant money into two programs, the Homeless Prevention Program and the Rapid Re-Housing program. The programs are designed to provide temporary financial assistance, housing relocation, and/or stabilization services to families or individuals who are:
- Currently at risk of becoming homeless
- Requesting temporary assistance to obtain or retain housing
“The one thing this is not good for, it’s not eligible for any mortgage cost or legal fees associated with retaining homeowner’s houses,” Hill said of the program.
Hills said the Rapid Re-Housings funds are to be used to help individuals and families who meet certain minimum requirements, at or below fifty percent of area median income, and meet one of the following criteria:
- Victims of domestic violence
- Graduating from or timing out of a transitional housing program
The Homelessness Prevention Program helps families or persons who are housed but have a very high risk of becoming homeless. Risk factors include:
- Eviction within 2 weeks from a private dwelling
- Sudden and significant loss of income or increased utility expenses
- Severe housing costs burden in excess of fifty percent of income
- Young head of households with children or pregnant
- Short and medium term rental assistance
- Security and utility deposits
- Utility payments
- Moving expenses
- Hotel and motel vouchers
Brighter Tomorrows, Lifeline Shelter for Families, and the Grand Prairie United Charities are charitable organizations in Grand Prairie that has the expertise necessary to administer the programs and dispense the funds Hills said. Initially, each organization would receive $100,000 each with the rest going into reserve that would be distributed as future needs dictate he said.
May 19 is the deadline for application Hills said and based on past experience he said the funds should be available 90 days after that date.
