Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell: $22 Million in Recovery Funds Will Help Fight Homelessness, Provide Stable Housing

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept 17, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Hundreds of Pennsylvania families who are struggling financially will receive critical financial and housing assistance thanks to $22 million in new federal stimulus funds, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today. "The national economic downturn has caused a significant number of people and families, through no fault of their own, to become homeless or nearly homeless," said Governor Rendell. "These funds could not have come at a better time. They'll boost county and local efforts to help those teetering on the edge of homelessness and provide assistance to those who are homeless." The stimulus funds will provide financial assistance and other services intended to help people and families find stable housing, Governor Rendell said. These services include short- and medium-term rental assistance, help with costs associated with moving into permanent housing, intensive case management, as well as relocation and stabilization services. The federal Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program funds for Pennsylvania have two components: one competitively awarded and the other to be distributed according to a formula. In the competitive component, 10 projects in six counties will receive $1.8 million. In the formula-based allocation, more than $20 million will go to 63 counties according to a base grant amount and a "need factor" based upon demographic data. The following competitive awards are based on scored outcome measures that include cost savings, percentage of households placed into permanent housing, and reducing time in homelessness: Philadelphia County 1. The City of Philadelphia, on behalf of the ACHIEVEability Keeping Families and Homes Together Project, will receive $90,000 toward a pilot program to serve low-income single parents who are newly unemployed and are enrolled in either an academic degree program or an equivalent trade school program. Financial assistance will include short- or medium-term rental assistance security or utility deposits, utility payments and small subsidies for these types of expenses. 2. The City of Philadelphia, on behalf of Women Against Abuse, will receive $200,000 to provide housing stabilization and housing relocation support for women and children who have had to flee their homes as a result of domestic violence. Women Against Abuse will serve an estimated 40 families or 120 individuals with its long-term housing program. 3. The City of Philadelphia, on behalf of Valley Youth House, will receive $199,888 to provide housing services targeting an underserved population of homeless young adults who self identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ). In addition to proving access to psycho-social support for LGBTQ homeless youth in Philadelphia, the project will provide housing "start-up funds" to youth who maintain employment and provide case management for six months. Eligible youth will participate in an intensive two-month housing education course while receiving individualized assistance in preparing to move into apartments. 4. The City of Philadelphia, on behalf of Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP), will receive $199,888 to expand its SOAR Project to underserved populations in Philadelphia, and serve 75 newly homeless disabled adults and disabled youth aging out of foster care in Philadelphia over a three-year period. HAP is the only legal services organization in Philadelphia that engages in direct outreach to the homeless community.  ___________ http://www.recovery.pa.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_60658_6016_505726_43/http%3B/pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/marketingsites/recovery_pa_gov/content/announcements/announcements_list/rls_gov_arrahomeless_091709.pdf .pdf