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Allegheny County Receives $3.8 Million Homeless Housing Grant

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a $3.8 million Continuum of Care grant to the County's Department of Human Services (DHS).

Fitzgerald says the grant will allow the county to further combat homelessness.

"Last December, the county received $10.1 million to renew 60 Continuum of Care grant-funded projects" Fitzgerald said. "Together, these awards will allow us to help chronically homeless persons and families move toward self-sufficiency and stable housing."

Through 40 DHS-contracted providers, the funds will be used for several new projects, including nine units of permanent housing for those with disabilities, 25 units of transitional housing for homeless youth, 28 units of single room occupancy housing, and 30 units of "Shelter Plus Care" housing for families, which provide assistance for hard-to-serve homeless persons with disabilities in connection with supportive services funded from sources outside the program.

Rob Eamigh, the Allegheny County Housing Program Administrator, says both this new grant and the grant received in December will help shelter the homeless community in Allegheny County.

"Currently, right now, we have about 1,100 total units that house homeless people in the county," Eamigh said.

DHS Director Marc Cherna is pleased Allegheny County got these new funds.

"This grant will afford our providers and staff the ability to continue to build a strong system of care to support homeless persons and families," Cherna said.

HUD's Continuum of Care grants assist those who are chronically homelss and have complex housing issues, such as disabilities.