State housing agency awards $40.4 million to prevent homelessness, rapidly re-house homeless Texans
AUSTIN, TX – August 3, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has announced a significant award of federal stimulus funding designed to mitigate and prevent the effects of homelessness both for those individuals who are homeless and for the communities in which they are located.
TDHCA awarded $40.4 million to 57 cities and eligible nonprofit organizations across the state to provide services to rapidly re-house homeless Texans or prevent individuals from falling into homelessness. The award was made through the Department’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), an innovative program created by the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.
“These awards represent an unprecedented opportunity for the state to help transition its most vulnerable residents out of emergency shelters or temporary housing and on toward self-sufficiency,” said Michael Gerber, TDHCA Executive Director. “By stabilizing at-risk individuals, we’re strengthening families and stabilizing entire neighborhoods. We pledge to do this in a manner that is both efficient and effective, ensuring these funds are directed to individuals who can benefit the most.”
HPRP is designed to provide homelessness prevention assistance to households who would otherwise become homeless and to rapidly re-house persons who are homeless. This includes individuals and families perhaps only in need of temporary rent or utility assistance, as well as Texans currently residing in emergency shelters or on the street and in need of temporary assistance to obtain housing.
Gerber noted that the program is not intended to provide long-term support for program participants. Financial support is limited to short-term (up to three months) and medium-term (up to 18 months) rental assistance, which may be used for security and utility deposits, as well as moving cost assistance.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the funding source for the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. Under HUD rules, individuals and families must earn no more than 50 percent of the area median family income to qualify for assistance.
Additionally, beneficiaries must have an initial consultation with a case manager to determine the lack of financial resources and support to obtain housing or no other appropriate housing options.
About The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is the state agency responsible for affordable housing, community services, energy assistance, colonia housing programs, and disaster recovery housing programs. It currently administers over $1 billion through for-profit, nonprofit, and local government partnerships to deliver local housing and community-based opportunities and assistance to Texans in need.
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Contact:
Gordon Anderson 512.475.4743
Jill McFarren 512.475.2844
