Vermont Business Magazine With a government shutdown looming, US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) last week announced that Vermont will receive $4.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2017 Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition Program awards, a US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program designed to help communities reduce homelessness. This includes a more than $200,000 increase from last year’s awards, which are funded annually through competitive grants.
In his new role as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Leahy has fought to protect and even increase CoC funding. Despite efforts by the Trump administration to slash CoC funding by $38 million in the FY 2018 budget compared to FY 2017 enacted levels, Leahy spearheaded an $81 million increase for CoC in the FY 2018 Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Bill compared to last year.
Here is a copy of the FY 2017 awards for Vermont organizations.
Leahy praised the work of the Continuums, saying, “Vermont organizations are doing tremendous work to provide housing and support services to those who need them most. People who face homelessness in Vermont deal with extremely complex challenges, and our bitterly cold weather this winter further highlights the need to keep supporting proven solutions. Now is the time to continue to invest in these programs, not make slashing cuts that will only make our challenges more difficult to solve. I am proud that Vermont continues to be a leader in its commitment to ensure that every Vermonter and Vermont family in need can access this kind of help, regardless of their situation.”
Joshua Davis and Pete Kellerman, Co-Chairs of the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness expressed deep gratitude to Senator Leahy for his ongoing support to the Balance of State Continuum of Care. "The demand to expand capacity in order to meet the critical needs of our homeless Vermonters is high", the co-chairs said. "The funding we celebrate today will empower our dedicated colleagues to provide essential resources desperately needed to find safe, permanent housing for homeless individuals and families with children."
The Vermont State Housing Authority’s Daniel Blankenship, who leads the collaborative application of the Vermont Balance of State CoC, added: “These awards increase VT Balance of State CoC funding by $124,380 and include two new expansion grants to continue building coordination capacity among homeless providers throughout the state, meanwhile increasing the direct service dollars needed to provide rental assistance to people experiencing homelessness with disabilities experiencing homelessness, as well as youth, families and victims ofdomestic violence.”
The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night in January, and is required by HUD to help inform funding and planning for homeless assistance programs nationwide. Last year, the Vermont PIT count found an 11 percent increase in homelessness statewide from 2016. The 2018 Point-in-Time Count will take place on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Margaret Bozik, from the Champlain Housing Trust and Co-Chair of the Chittenden County Continuum of Care, said: "Our Continuum has seen homelessness reduced by 45 percent over its last three point in time counts with help from Continuum funding. We hope to see continued reductions with this year's awards, which includes a bonus award for increased rapid rehousing programs."
Source: Leahy 1.19.2018