HUD Announces 2nd Set of Communities to Receive Historic Grants and Vouchers for Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness
This week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the second set of communities to receive grants and housing vouchers from a first-of-its-kind package designed to help provide housing and supportive services for people experiencing unsheltered and/or rural homelessness.
This announcement includes $171.2 million in grants for 115 new projects in 29 communities , bring the total value of these grants to $486 million for 62 communities. In addition, HUD is inviting 139 public housing authorities who partnered with these communities to accept approximately 3,300 stability vouchers —a special allocation of housing choice vouchers that allow people experiencing homelessness to obtain and afford housing.
This is one of several actions the Biden-Harris administration has taken to address homelessness. In December, USICH released All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness , which set President Biden’s ambitious goal to reduce all homelessness 25% by 2025. All In is a roadmap for making the most of the American Rescue Plan, which President Biden signed in 2021 to provide one of the largest-ever investments in ending homelessness . In January, USICH, HUD, and VA announced that it worked with more than 100 communities to collectively move more than 140,000 people off the streets , out of shelters, and into permanent homes in just over a year through HUD and USICH's House America and VA's Permanent Housing Placement National Challenge . In the coming weeks, USICH and the White House will launch a new initiative to help targeted cities and states reduce unsheltered homelessness.
The resources announced this week build upon this momentum and provide communities with the resources and tools to respond to unsheltered homelessness humanely and effectively while avoiding approaches that criminalize homelessness.
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