Sen. Reed's Christmas Gift for Homeless: $4.6 Million in Aid
Dan McGowan, GoLocalProv News Editor
Sen. Reed's Christmas Gift for Homeless: $4.6 Million in Aid
Senator Jack Reed Tuesday announced Rhode Island will receive $4.6 million in federal Continuum of Care funding to combat homelessness.
These funds, which were made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Supportive Housing and Shelter Plus Care programs, will supports a multi-layered approach to addressing the economic, physical, and social needs of struggling Rhode Islanders and helps them obtain housing and supportive services.
The state’s swelling homeless population has caused homelessness advocates to call for more action to be taken by the state this winter. Groups say severe cuts in state aid and a still-struggling economy has forced the demand for beds at shelters to to be at an all-time high.
“This federal funding is a smart investment in reducing homelessness in Rhode Island. It will help keep families off the streets and give them an opportunity to return to self-sufficiency and independence. We are committed to preventing and ending homelessness throughout the state, and these funds are vital to keeping that commitment,” Reed said. “ In addition to boosting targeted homelessness assistance and prevention grant programs going forward, Reed’s legislation mandated that the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness produce a “national strategic plan” to end homelessness, which became the White House’s new strategy called ‘Opening Doors.’”
More Needs to be Done
According to a new HUD report released earlier this month, Rhode Island saw a nearly 20 percent drop in homelessness in January 2011 compared with January 2010, with an estimated 1,070 Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness on a given night in January 2011, down from 1,282 in 2010. The number of families experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island also declined significantly, from 216 last year down to 137 in 2011.
Nationwide, the report showed homelessness dropped 2.1 percent, according to data reported by more than 3,000 cities and counties throughout the United States. The annual “point-in-time” survey estimated that on a single night in January 2011, 636,017 Americans were homeless.
HUD found that, in addition to the reduction in overall homelessness, veteran homelessness decreased by almost 12 percent, family homelessness decreased by 2.8 percent, and chronic homelessness decreased by 2.4 percent, all compared to January 2010.
But advocates say more needs to be done. They say an additional burden has been added this year thanks to the state legislature’s inability to fund the Neighborhood Opportunities Program (NOP) for the 2012 fiscal year. In July, the Coalition for the Homeless circulated an e-mail expressing how much a lack of funding will hurt the homeless.
“Despite letters, emails, and calls from thousands of Rhode Islanders, the legislature passed a $7.7-billion state budget which includes zero state funding for NOP,” the e-mail said. “Instead, the budget instructs Rhode Island Housing, an independent quasi-state agency which receives no state funding, to provide $1.5 million for the program.”
In a message sent to supporters this week, Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless executive Director Jim Ryczek said his organization hopes to make affordable housing a top priority this year.
“We will be working this legislative session to establish a permanent funding stream that will ensure funding each year for homeless prevention and affordable housing production,” Ryczek wrote. “Additionally, we are working with our shelter providers, members and constituents to develop a system to quickly move those who are homeless out of our shelters and into safe, stable housing with services available to them.”
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