$3.9 Million Dollars Available for Local Homeless Services

For Immediate Release Oct. 1, 2009

Media Contact
Otis Thornton
Homelessness Coordinator
City of Fort Worth
Cell: 682-432-4503

FORT WORTH — More than $3.9 million in funding is available to help Fort Worth’s homeless population.

The City of Fort Worth, United Way of Tarrant County and the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC) announced today the availability of funds to eligible applicants for providing homeless services. Applications for multiple programs from federal, state and local sources have been consolidated into a single funding announcement to better align community funding priorities and the strategic allocation of resources.

The city was advised by the public and the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Homelessness on the development of funding priorities for the Directions Home and Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP). The City of Fort Worth and its partner agencies are working to make homelessness a rare, short-term and non-recurring experience in the city by 2018 through the Directions Home program.

Funding is available from four programs:

1. City of Fort Worth Directions Home Program
2. City of Fort Worth/TDHCA Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP)
3. HUD Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs (Permanent Housing Bonus)
4. Tarrant County Homeless Coalition/Fannie Mae Supportive Housing Development Coordination

The budget details funding opportunities for which community- and faith-based organizations and governmental entities may apply. Highlights include:

• 24 new housing vouchers coupled with high-intensity supportive services will be added to 200 ongoing housing vouchers from Program Year I (PYI)
• Two additional behavioral health specialists to help tenants in supportive housing retain housing and increase self-sufficiency
• Four additional shelter-based case managers
• Two additional job specialists to help with tenant-based and re-entry focused employment efforts
• A new housing placement specialist to assist homeless people in locating low-cost housing options
• New mobile street engagement team that will connect unsheltered homeless with needed services

As a service to the community, the United Way of Tarrant County manages the distribution of funds for the Directions Home and Homeless Housing and Services Programs on behalf of the City of Fort Worth. Therefore, funds for these two programs share an application process.

Funding priorities in 2010 include:

Directions Home PY II

• Negotiated PY I Contract Renewals
  • Permanent Supportive Housing Voucher Program
  • Voucher-linked Supportive Services
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Program
  • Shelter-based Case Management
  • Continuum of Care Planning, Development, Coordination and Implementation
  • Independent Evaluator
  • Job Specialist (Project WISH)
• Competitive Allocation
  • Consolidate and Expand Direct Service Fund (Move-in, Critical Documents and Case Management)
  • Storage Capacity
• Project Homeless Connect

Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP)

• Competitive Allocation
  • Permanent Supportive Housing Voucher Program Expansion
  • Voucher-linked Supportive Services Expansion
  • Tenant-based Supportive Services
  • Shelter-based Case Management Program Expansion
  • Job Specialist with preference for Re-entry and Tenant-based Services
  • Housing Specialist
  • Assertive Street Support & Engagement Team
• Project Homeless Connect

Part One: Directions Home and Homeless Housing and Services Program

Part Two: HUD Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs (Permanent Housing Bonus)

Part Three: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (Fannie Mae) Supportive Housing Development Program

Posted by Brian Chatman at 10/01/2009 05:04:24 PM