From the Gazette -- Aug 22nd

(reprinted by permission)

$1.7 million to homelessness
City typically receives about $110,000 a year

by Debbie Kelley
debbie.kelley@gazette.com

A total of $1.7 million in federal stimulus dollars will be used to prevent homelessness in Colorado Springs and El Paso County. The funding is substantial, said Valorie Jordan, manager of the City’s Housing Development Division.  “This is the first time we’ve had a grant specific to homeless prevention,” she said. “It’s a luxury that we plan to use wisely.”

The City typically receives about $110,000 annually in federal funding for emergency homeless services, which mostly goes to local shelters for adults and teens, said Jordan, whose department manages grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The City was notified in March that it was eligible for about $1 million of the $1.5 billion earmarked nationwide to prevent homelessness and find housing for those displaced by the weak economy. The state of Colorado appropriated another $700,000 from its share of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for agencies that serve outlying areas of El Paso County.

Earlier this month, a local committee selected seven agencies to receive portions of the city’s cut. Funding for agencies serving the county has not yet been determined, Jordan said.

Agencies will receive the grants Oct. 1st. Subsidies can be used to pay up to 18 months of rent and up to six months of arrears, as well as to cover security deposits, utility deposits and payments, moving costs and motel vouchers. The funding also can pay for housing relocation and stabilization, case management and outreach, legal services, mediation and credit repair.

The money cannot be used for foreclosure prevention, child care, employment training, direct cash assistance, food or transportation, Jordan said.
Money will be given to landlords, utility companies or other businesses, not clients themselves.

“Our goal is not just to keep them from being evicted one month to the next, but assess their needs and develop a plan to see if they’re eligible for job training or other services,” Jordan said. “Our hope is to prevent the inevitable from happening for people who are getting behind in payments.”

Partners in Housing will receive $105,511, which will help about 20 families who need assistance but don’t need the organization’s two year transitional housing program, which includes life-skills classes and budget counseling, said Erin Taylor, development director.

“It’s very timely — we’ve seen huge influx of demand from people who may need housing because of the downturn in the economy but not the full array of services. This grant will help that population with fairly deep subsidies,” Taylor said.