WASHINGTON, DC — On March 16, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced more than $2.6 billion in fiscal year 2021 Continuum of Care competition awards for roughly 7,000 homeless housing and service programs across the United States. The awards, announced by Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, will provide funding to communities to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness move into permanent housing with access to supportive services, with the overarching goal of long-term stability. In New Jersey, HUD awarded $53,931,703 to 227 projects.
“Access to stable housing is a basic necessity — the safety of a home is essential, especially as we continue to fight the COVID-19 virus,” Fudge said. “These Continuum of Care program grants, coupled with the historic resources in the American Rescue Plan, will deliver communities the resources needed to ensure that every person in a respective community has the equitable opportunity to a safe and stable home.”
“These awards support a variety of programs that assist homeless veterans, families, youth — New Jerseyans that simply need a hand so they can help themselves,” said Alicka Ampry-Samuel, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “This funding allows Continuums of Care to continue their work to end homelessness and help keep our most vulnerable neighbors off the streets.”
The CoC program is designed to promote a communitywide commitment to ending homelessness. The program is the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services and housing programs servicing people experiencing homelessness. The 2021 awards include approximately $102 million for new domestic violence support projects. The awards also fund new projects that focus on adding permanent housing to communities, including new permanent supportive housing, new rapid rehousing, and projects that provide transitional housing to households and then shift them to rapid rehousing.
The following organizations received funding for one or more initiatives in Essex County: HBP RAIN Foundation, $176,806; Essex County, $1,060,020, $240,000; N.J. Department of Community Affairs, $831,417; Positive Health Care Inc., $225,412; Isaiah House, $327,466; N.J. Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, $235,666; Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, $2,410,173; city of East Orange, $440,280; Covenant House New Jersey Inc, $573,813; and Easter Seals New Jersey, $222,704.
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