Almost $2 Million in Homeless Grants Given to New Bedford
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 – New Bedford homeless programs received almost $2 million in federal aid Tuesday as part of the single largest Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant program ever.
Of the $1.4 billion distributed nationwide and the more than $60.3 million given to Massachusetts, New Bedford received about $1.9 million, with $1.78 million in grants for transitional housing and $131,126 for emergency shelters.
New Bedford has received money for the homeless for nine consecutive years, and this year’s grant is the largest the city has ever received solely for homelessness, Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr. said. The emergency shelter grant will assist the Greater New Bedford’s Women’s Shelter, Market Ministries and People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE), according to a press release from Mayor Kalisz.
The grant money for transitional housing is awarded on a competitive basis through the Continuum of Care program, which helps provide a “more stable home environment than emergency shelters,” said Brian Sullivan, a HUD spokesman in Washington.
Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction received $265,079 for its “Step-Up” program, a permanent supportive housing plan founded in 1997 when initial funding was granted.
The 32-unit housing program assists people who are transitioning out of homelessness, many of whom have substance abuse or mental health disabilities, according to Carl Alves, the group’s president.
About 72 families and individuals are assisted annually through rental subsidies at scattered locations in the area.
“It’s really been a nice opportunity to help individuals and families get on their feet, get to a place where they can become self-sufficient,” Mr. Alves said.
Participants are required to be working, in school or volunteering their time to receive assistance from the program, which was the first of its kind in New Bedford.
Mr. Alves said the program’s funding has been consistent since 1997 and its existence depends on the national grants.
“If we were to lose that money it would probably create homelessness,” he said.
Catholic Social Services Inc. will begin “Housing First” with the $894,222 grant it received. The program will provide housing for chronically homeless individuals and families through 12 units of single-family housing and eight apartments.
Arlene McNamee, the organization’s executive director, said the new program’s work with chronically homeless individuals deals with people who have been homeless for at least a year or experienced homelessness four times within three years .
Catholic Social Services also received $398,600 to renew its “Donovan House” transitional housing program for women and children.
Ms. McNamee said she expected that renewal. She added that the funding for the “Housing First” program was the largest the organization had received.
“It’s going to give us the opportunity to serve more homeless families,” she said.
Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Transition House received $193,638 to renew “Network House,” a transitional housing program for men. New Bedford’s Homeless Management Information System, which keeps data on how the homeless funds are used, received $32,761.
Last year Massachusetts received $54.4 million, and this year’s $60.3 million is the state’s highest award, said Kristine Foye, a HUD regional spokeswoman.
The 2004 fiscal budget for HUD will fund the 219 programs in Massachusetts, and each organization will receive the money at the start of its fiscal year, Ms. Foye said
“This unprecedented level of funds will go directly to those on the front lines, who work tirelessly everyday to bring an end to chronic homelessness and who provide services to the many individuals and families without a home of their own,” HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson said in a press release.
Programs in Fall River received $1.5 million in homeless grants..
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